A Summer Knight
by Ascarda Astachi
Summary: Iruka is a prince whose growing tired of the highlife -Cliché, I know- and Kakashi is a knight who is training the king's army. They have a connection between each other, but how can they be? KakaIru SasuNaru KibaHina AsumaKurenai Many pairings and hinted pairings M-Lemons complete Used to be "A Silver Knight"
1. Chapter 1

**Important note: **This isn't set in japan so no Japanese words will be used, I'm going to include the names of places and people obviously, but the link with japan is small, apart from some things that are obvious. Imagine this is in the middle ages, around 1000 or so years ago, and that should help with the setting.  
PS- those reading my story Hopeless homeless, it's going well! I can balance two stories just fine, trust me, I have no life!

**Disclaimer: **Not mine.

**Summary: **Iruka is a prince whose growing tired of the highlife (Cliché I know) and Kakashi is a knight from a faraway land who is training the king's army. They have a connection between each other that cannot be ignored, but how can a foreign knight be with a prince, especially two males?

* * *

The summer seasons pass too slowly in the prince's mind, a minute feels like an hour and little is achieved between the two countries at war in these minutes despite the seemingly extra time, or in actual hours. Fire and Mist(1)remain in a continuous battle; wave after wave of men sent at each other to be knocked down, like two children throwing toys in the playground. The summer sun as pleasant and warm as it is only makes him feel sleepy and makes the bodies in the war ground rot that much faster and more formidable and arduous to name and write letters of condolences, rotted faces are hard to identify.

He once saw a woman, broken and empty as she held up a sheet of names; "My children," she shouted, thrashing in the hold of his guards and calling for help of some kind, "they are all dead!" she screamed as she was pulled away and out of the gate of his castle. She looked young; 40 or so, he guessed, and could hardly have sons old enough to die in battle. He later learned that the woman had lost 5 sons, her husband had hung himself with the inability to cope with such a loss; he heard from a passing soldier that his own officers had written "Jamie" on the letter sent to her house for her youngest sons death, but her son's name was "James."  
He also heard from a passing maid that her sons were 14, 15, 17, and twins both 19. The youngest brothers had been instructed to enter illegally if they wished for their mother and father to live, and their 12 year old sister not to be sold to the sex industry. They joined off course, but in vain as they were all declared dead within 3 months; now their father dead and mother dying, and sister having been raped several times by the soldier who delivered the letters of loss. She is suspected to die soon; since medical treatment is expensive and labour is painful, especially for a 12 year old single mother who must work.

He lay in his four-poster mahogany bed. The headboard was plain apart from a large eagle carved into the wood; its wings raised high and bars attaching those back onto the plain wood. He felt the soft, silk sheets against his skin. They were puce, he found it an unfavourable colour; seeing it as grey in the light. While learning French, he discovered the word 'puce' meant flea, and he found he could not stand them any longer. When he asked for a change of bedding colour; perhaps to green, the maids declined saying how "Purple is a noble colour, and a prince is to remain as such". He was antagonistic towards the fabric, finding he slid around too much on the silk when he slept. They were too cold in winter and too hot in summer; and required far too much cleaning which he found made his maids far less enthusiastic towards him, and far more disagreeable when he asked a second time for a bedding change.

He suspected an assistant of the king would ask for him soon since some knights were to present themselves from the neighbouring lands and kingdoms. He clambered from his four-post bed, drawing the repulsive puce, silk curtains with a pained expression spreading across his face; the scar running across his nose curving is displeasure.

He glanced upon a 3 person love-seat in his chambers, he often wondered why he couldn't have a single seat since no one apart from him sat in his room, and saw the clothes a maid had lay for him today. Clothes in Konohagakure provided information about the status of the person wearing them. The clothing and fashion in Konohagakure is dominated and highly influenced by the Kings and Queens, in this case he was included. Only the wealthy could dress in fashionable clothes, and he counted as wealthy, although he had never carried much money with himself; and barely shopped for the clothes he wore; they seemed to always be there. He often wished he would be allowed to pick the clothes he placed on his body; he was always burdened with heavy or uncomfortable clothes that held hideous ornaments and accessories; all decorated with bright colours that clashed with his tanned skin. Once, a maid had told him to be pale was best; and smothered his face with makeup. It smelled of paint and bleach, and made his face desperately itchy and painful. The paint remains buried in the castle garden were his maids cannot find it and he had struck a deal with one of the delivery men who brings in the replacements that he may give the cream to his wife if he swaps the pot for one the prince provides as a decoy.

He holds up the clothes to the light protruding from the balcony windows to the right of his bed and opposite the door to the hallway. He tries to see them as what they are- beautiful, expensive and to-die-for pieces of clothing- but finds he only sees more silk and sheets of rash-inducing fabric.

After dressing he glances upon himself, not actually owning a mirror in his room; he goes by his own eye and decides he is up to the king's standards. His own don't matter so much. He has swallowed them every day, why should today vary. He pulled his brown hair into a high ponytail on the top if his head; as always, it kept his shoulder length hair from his eyes and helped him argue himself out of wearing a hat.

-000-

He walked slowly along the wide corridors of the Konoha castle, no longer admiring the artwork and tapestries on the wall as he did as a child, and feels the blue silk cloak running along his back and legs. Profuse extravagance is displayed in furs, so he wore a fur overcoat with a large overlapping collar to show his status as prince but found it heavy on his shoulders. As a child he owned a tabby cat, with similar colours to his overcoat, he had named mischief because it had a habit of climbing into his mother's washing basket and being deposited into the public washing bath; causing the women who came to wash their cloths there to have the shock of their lives; soon they grew used to it and it began to make them laugh.  
He played with mischief for 20 years of his life and discovered the tabby cat disliked him when he wore furs and so he hated the clothing from then on, only wearing it when he was forced. He loved the animal far more than he cared to admit before it died. Although, died didn't seem to suit the circumstances in which his cat lost its life; it had been cut from head to toe to end its suffering after it was said it was too old to enjoy life anymore by some cruel noblemen whom he shared the castle with. He had witnessed, and despite being 23 at the time, cried like a small child as he was returned to his room as mass of limbs and tears. He soon found fur made him physically ill, but he was told to endure.

He heard the king speaking of his wealth and large array of furs; to make one fur coat you must kill at least fifty-five wild mink, thirty-five ranched mink, forty sables, eleven lynx, eighteen red foxes, eleven silver foxes, one hundred chinchillas, thirty rex rabbits, nine beavers, thirty muskrats, fifteen bobcats, twenty-five skunks, fourteen otters, one hundred twenty-five ermines, thirty possums, one hundred squirrels, or twenty-seven raccoons. Not to mention the snakes.

Hardly worth the weight, he had decided.

But here he was; carrying the burden of fur and silk; both of which he detested, as he walked towards the throne room to greet more killers of each realm and smile to the noblewoman who wore the makeup which made him gag. It had been 4 years since mischief had died, and he had yet to find something that he enjoyed as much as watching the cat strut around the castle or frighten the noblemen.

He stopped at the doors to the throne room as though it was routine; hardly registering what he was doing as he was announced to the noblemen and richer towns-people as the prince, and he took his seat next to the king of Konohagakure. He placed himself gracefully onto the chair for the prince; a less extravagant one as compared to the kings but more so than he had wished.

The king was not his father, contrary to popular belief; in fact, he grew quite offended when people referred to him as his father. This king was a respectable man but he and the prince bared no resemblance. His own father was a noble man, not of money; but of heart. Both his parents had been killed during one of the several great wars in Konaha's history- One which was still happening now, as he sat comfortably on a cushioned mahogany chair and looked upon a large hall of people; the ceiling painted with woman and children laughing. There were several rows of cushioned chairs at the front of the stage the thrones were on, and behind them and area for people standing, which was cut off by velvet ropes. One row was empty at the very front; he guessed for the knights.

He had always felt a strange mixture of feelings towards the king; the man had a perplexing obsession with snakes and often wore snake-skin on his body instead of furs; his crown being made from snake-skin and encrusted with golden stones to match the man's serpent-like yellow eyes. The king had long flowing black hair which was growing brittle with the man's age; and often fell out in clumps when he brushed it too vigorously.  
His skin was an off colour most of the time; almost green or blue in some lights and he had a scrawny and elderly body that looked as though it would give out at any moment. Elbows and shoulders looked like knifes and facial features were as sharp as them. Orochimaru was a power driven leader, there was no denying that, but he often spent his time in Sound country and effectively drove his own nation into war, and so was becoming unpopular. He was calling in some of the most elite knight's from all over the world to train his army's to win the war he effectively started.

* * *

"Prince Iruka!" A woman called from behind him; latching onto his arm boldly and fluttering her eyelashes, her spikey black hair flew around his nose slightly and he held a sneeze in. He didn't recognise her and supposed she had come with some of the knights.

"Iruka, this is Anko, she is a friend of mine from Sound," king Orochimaru spoke to him, answering his internal question. His long tongue moved around his mouth like a fish in water and Iruka supressed a shudder he often felt around the man since he was a child; they were growing less frequent with his age however. "She has quite a new…product to show you,"

She nodded again, making him sniff. As she detached herself from him arm he noticed she was actually very attractive; she had large brown eyes, lighter than his own chocolate orbs, and black hair that almost appeared purple in the light of the castle. He stood from his chair to bow to her, briefly noting her beige gown, and when he raised his head again he found a hand in his face. He looked upon it and saw red on her nails; he had never seen nails that were not natural or brown with dirt; he held her hand and moved it away from his face, observing the paint and wandering how it was it coated a nail so flawlessly.

"You kiss the hand, your highness, and then admire the gift," Anko said, smirking as a blush spread across the prince's face. He didn't often kiss a woman's hand, it meant projecting a message he didn't want to project. He timidly pressed his lips to the woman's knuckle and glanced back at the crowd of people in the room, happy that only a few were looking.

"It's interesting, isn't it Iruka?" the king spoke, taking Anko's hand from his own shaking ones and admiring the paint.

"It's nail polish, from China," Anko stated, looking smug at having acquired the polish. "I have some for you, your highnesses,"

He listened to her for a moment as she explained the colours she had for him, Orochimaru was more the type for nail varnish but he wasn't very enthusiastic about spreading some purple gunk on his nails and re-painting whenever some chipped off because the remover is dangerous to use.

"Y-Your majesty, the k-knights have a-arrived," a small child spoke from his side to the king; shaking a little when the king turned his attention to him. Iruka always found he had a way with children and offered a smile to the boy as he looked around for support that he had done his job well. He patted the child's shoulder and pushed slightly on the boys back as a sign to run off, which the child did as soon as the message had gone through.

Trumpets resounded through the hall and the prince took his seat again; sighing in relief as Anko made her way down the steps of the stage he and the king sat on. Several men dressed in purple and red hopped into the room; green tights making them look like jesters and curved shoes causing them to walk strange. They each wore a hat with purple and red stripes coming from a button in the centre; each stripe separated from the other with golden lace, which was used to sew most of their outfits together. They blew on their trumpets once more in a tune he didn't recognise and a final man walked out, wearing the same painful outfit that seemed to be all the rage with these announcers. His wore the same hat as the others but with a large white feather extending from it which flew around slightly as he walked through the two lines created by the other men.

"We present the greatest knights found all around the world!" he shouted, unravelling a large scroll in his hands; Iruka noticed how they shook with nerves from speaking to such a large and renowned audience. He briefly pondered if he could do such a thing, finding he couldn't and suddenly feeling a sense of respect for the poor man, a brave soul.

"First: knights of the Hiruzen realm!"

A small applause -so that the nobles did not strain their hands- was heard as a tall, muscled man walked into the clearing the men in tights had created. He had large bushy white hair and wore a large red robe draped around his shoulders. He gave a large grin and waved his hands around in the air as if he were soaking in the praise; as little as there was. Iruka strained his eyes and saw red marks painted down his cheeks from his eyes to his jaw.

"I AM JIRAIYA!" he announced loudly, making Iruka wince slightly due to his sensitivity to loud noises. He glanced behind the man and saw very busty woman with long blonde hair in two low ponytails and a gem on her forehead. She wore robes as well; Iruka supposed it was normal for those from the Hiruzen realm. He had heard Orochimaru talking of Hiruzen once; he was good friends with the knights there and had trained with them when he was young. The realm was named after their old fourth king, Hiruzen Sarutobi, and had been very prosperous throughout its lifetime. He believed the country was still under rule of one of the legendary knights but he wasn't sure, nor did he know who they were.

"We are the legendary knights of Hiruzen, this is lady Tsunade! Leader of Hiruzen!"

Oh, Iruka thought, that explains it. He wandered why Orochimaru had left these knights, but when he looked upon the king and back at the two knights he saw why he would have left; they seemed totally different from each other. He looked around and noticed how everyone was standing; he did so too and bowed with everyone to the lady Tsunade who, he supposed, was the equivalent of the queen for her realm.

Jiraiya basked in the glow of admiration coming from the noblewomen and Tsunade's forehead popped with several veins as men admired her large breasts and some didn't even try to hide their drool. She dragged her white haired accomplice into the hall and took one of the seats reserved for them, forcing Jiraiya to sit with an intense glare.

Next, a man with black hair and relatively long beard and large sideburns strolled into the room. Hands in his pockets and a cigarette in his mouth, he waved his hand in the air casually and walked on towards his chair, leaving a space between himself and Tsunade. Behind a young boy followed, a bored look on his face and hair pulled tightly to his head in a similar ponytail to the princes own. He wore simple clothing, much like the older man, and had pierced ears. Iruka wandered if he felt comfortable wearing such…normal clothing in a room of nobles but then supposed that he was a lot more comfortable than he was at the moment.

"Urr…" the announcer said awkwardly, expecting them to introduce themselves much like the ones before them. "This is Asuma Sarutobi and his student, Shikamaru Nara! They originate from Hiruzen and have been officially declared wandering knights! "

The crowd clapped slowly, not sure if the new guests who sat –arms crossed and eyes closed, the elder having a smirk around his cigarette- at the front would want applause. The prince pondered on the young Nara boy, he was a bit young to be a knight? Or was he classed as a knight-student?

He was _very_ young to be a wandering knight; wandering knights tended to have a home somewhere, In this case these two would be from Hiruzen, but would be called out to locations across the world for "missions", many were around the world; some even raised to do so, but most were over 20 and this boy seemed only 17 or so. Iruka turned his head and made a mental note to ask at the next possible opportunity.

"And now! The knights who have travelled from Japan to be here!" The announcer bellowed, attracting the attention away from the new arrivals.  
A man wearing a very tight green suit Iruka had never seen the likes of before jumped into the room, emitting a large aura of energy and happiness around him. The prince looked on in awe like a child; he had never seen a man wearing such strange clothing! The man sported a haircut that looked as though it had been cut from a bowl and then placed on his head, and he seemed oblivious to the frowns he received from surrounded nobles and villagers.

"I AM MIGHT GUY!" he announced, seemingly proud of his heritage as he held up a thumb and winked over at the king. "I AM A KNIGHT HERE TO HELP IN THESE MOST UN-YOUTHFUL OF TIMES!"

-000-

The prince watched as the strange man sat in his chair, smiling wildly at his own display. His young accomplice sat next to him; sporting a similar look. Iruka wandered why there were so many young people in such an elite force of knights, when he was their age he was learning how to use cutlery and walk strait, not how to defend a country and die in battle.

Several more people entered the hall after this; He guessed japan had some of the best Knights around with the amount that piled in. He hoped so; since his own mother had been Japanese, and he would have hoped she was a powerful woman, having given such a fight before she was killed.

A woman with wild black hair down past her shoulders entered the hall and sat on the chair between Asuma and Tsunade, it seemed the seat had been saved for her by the bearded man. She wore red lipstick and purple eye shadow that made her red eyes stand to attention. Her outfit consists of a red mesh armour blouse with only the right sleeve visible. She wore a red long sleeved dress and what looked like a wrap-around made of cream fabric, which covered one arm and not the other; making one sleeve red and the other cream. The pattern on the wrap around looked like roses or thorns, and Iruka decided the dress was far more beautiful than what the woman in Konoha often wore; they had a habit of shoving as much of themselves into as small of a space as possible, a corset or something. Her name was Kurenai Yuhi.

Iruka briefly wandered what Japanese makeup was made from, because it seemed flawless as compared to the makeup in his own kingdom; which resembled paint.

After her, a fierce brown-haired woman entered with large red triangles painted on her cheeks; her eyes were slit-like and she wore purple lipstick, and traditional Japanese knight clothing. A _huge_ dog walked behind her, steps heavy from its weight. It resembled a wolf of sorts, and made Iruka slightly scared as it growled. It wore an eye-patch on one eye and the prince wandered if she took it into battle with her. She was announced as Tsume and her dog Kuromaru, behind her a boy emerged with a large white dog, it was clear to see this boy was her son as he was almost a spitting image of his mother. He was named Kiba and his dog Akamaru, next to him a girl with white eyes and blue/black hair, seemingly nervous and absently fiddling with her thumbs before her hand was taken by Kiba; she was called Hinata, Kiba's wife. Iruka wandered how they could be married at so young; they had to be the same age as the Nara boy?  
A final person emerged, this one was also clearly a sister; older than Kiba, she had longer and tamer hair than the two however and wore it in a ponytail at the back of her neck; the triangles visible on her face much like her family members. She held a medical kit of sorts in her hands and she was announced as Hana, the clan's vet and elder sister of Kiba. The family sat on the row with their large canines tame under their chairs. This was the Inuzuka family, and by far the scariest to Iruka.

Several more people entered the hall; two brothers going by Sasuke and Itachi Uchiha; both dark-looking and obviously brothers. The younger Uchiha held the waist of a blonde next to him, who wore a brighter orange than any Iruka had ever seen in his life, so bright he wandered what they had used to dye it. He had on a long black coat with flames sewn onto the bottom; another bright and intricate design the prince had never seen. The blonde, who seemed overwhelmed by the grand hall, was announced as Naruto Uzumaki, King of Konoha's sister village in japan; and apparently the lover of Sasuke Uchiha, the youngest Uchiha brother, which was demonstrated by his hold on the blonde boys waist. Orochimaru let a visible smirk plague his aged face as he glanced upon the young Uchiha; and Iruka turned to him.

One young adult with shockingly white eyes, the same as Hinata Inuzuka, entered the hall. He was announced as Neji Hyuga, Hinata's cousin Iruka learned when the king spoke to him. "He is a very promising knight Iruka," the king spoke softly and slowly; making Iruka frown. The king only showed interest in the younger knights; and it made him puzzled.

The announcer said there were more to come but had been delayed for two or three more days due to a shortage of space on the boats set to leave; so they had gotten on one a few days later.

The prince surveyed the knights and felt his stomach knot in several places; he had never been one to speak to new people without making mistakes despite the training he had to become king some day; it scared him to new levels and he barely contained his breathing as his eyes accidently met with several of the guests. He saw how none were wearing furs and hoped they wouldn't see him as a monster for wearing such clothing; or for wearing expensive silk which was probably wrinkled due to him shifting in his seat.

The king stood from his chair and, in a loud and long voice, spoke; "I am the king of Konoha, I urge you to enjoy your stay and reveal to me any of your talents, I can make you stay here wonderful with the right…" he glanced at the young Uchiha; barley remaining subtle about it "persuasion," He walked towards the prince, presenting a long and sickly-coloured hand for the brunette to take; which he did. "This is prince Iruka, now if the knights will join us; we are going to feast" Iruka stood when he felt his hand being tugged.

The king walked towards Anko, releasing Iruka's hand and leaving him to stand awkwardly in front of the entire assembly, and led her out with him. The young prince followed, looking towards his feet so that the guests wouldn't feel inclined to speak to him; and hoped he would be allowed to have water instead of wine; he always found it didn't agree with him.

* * *

**Next time:** the banquet.

_(1) I know fire and mist aren't at war or anything; it's just for plot._


	2. Chapter 2

**Important note: **you already know that there is no japanese links; but also, I wouldn't mind if people sent me some comments on any improvements; since this is already typed up, I can easily add to it. don't be scared; I don't bite, and you can leave it without a username if you wowuld like.

**Disclaimer: **Not mine.

* * *

Laughing and singing echoed around the candle-lit dinner hall, loud lute and flute music played in the background loud and cheerful to enlighten the heavy feast. Iruka winced at every high note; his sensitive ears ringing for long moments afterwards. The prince looked upon the food displayed; food was usually entrusted to the squires of the kitchen and was chosen, purchased and paid for by these. He watched as these squires and servants brought out the weighty plates of rich food and some he had never seen before. The table he sat at was on a dais; reserved for himself, the king and his knights. He sat on the end of the table; Anko left them to sit with the other nobles on lesser raised tables towards the door. The king's great doctors and nurses sat on these tables; he glanced upon some he knew when they had started training to be medics; although most were not there due to the need for doctors on the battlefield. The king often chose not to sacrifice his own medics but needs were become more desperate.

He saw Kabuto; a sound medic whom Orochimaru favoured over all else, he had silver hair beyond his years and wore high collared robes and golden lined glasses. Other women and men he had never seen sat at the table; he guessed they came with the knights. The eating-hall had a golden aura around it from the candle light and the windows were dark, it was late in the evening and the summer sun had finally set. As he glanced upon the medic's table he saw a flash of pink and gasped out loud; attracting attention from the king of Konoha's sister village in japan, Naruto.

"Have you seen Sakura?"

The prince furrowed his brows and turned to the king, wandering if the girl with pink hair was this "Sakura". He looked over the table as he turned to the prince; seeing all of the knights surrounding it. One chair remained empty in front of him and he made a mental note to ask Naruto who was meant to sit there. He saw the white haired man with red painted face at the further end of the long table; discussing memories with Orochimaru and the busty woman –he wandered why he had not been seated with the adults- and Asuma and Kurenai near them. He then saw the youngest Uchiha running has hand over the back of the blonde king's neck and visibly shuddering at the mention of the pink-haired girl's name.

They sat next to one another, Naruto on his right and Sasuke on Naruto's right, the elder Uchiha opposite the younger. A boy with similar hair to the prince lay between the empty chair and Itachi holding his head on his folded arms as he appeared to take a nap.  
The elder Uchiha smirked at his younger brother; teasing with a glint of mischief in his onyx eyes.  
Iruka looked upon the brothers and could see the resemblance. They both had raven locks with a blue tint he had never encountered, although the youngest had short hair that was spiked at the back, another feature the prince was new to, and long bangs as the front. The elder had long mid-length hair, almost as long as the white-eyed boy's locks. They both had pale skin, unmarred and flawless except for the elder who had two lines descending from the corner of his eyes to his cheeks.

"Sakura?"

"Yeah, she's one of my medics!" The blonde boy beamed, blue eyes narrowing slightly due to the intensity of the grin. The younger Uchiha shuddered again and the king snorted when he felt it from the hand on his neck. "She's Sasuke's _best friend!" _he laughed, infectious apparently as Shikamaru snorted against his crossed arms; he obviously didn't like the food on offer and his plate remained empty under his hands. The fine china had been supplied by the Japanese guests and had an intricate design of a Sakura blossom across them.

"Shut up Dobe, he doesn't need to know about that, you'll scare him."

The prince furrowed his brows at the word "Dobe," he had never come across it before. His curiosity got the best of him, "what is 'Dobe'?"

Sasuke smirked and squeezed his lover's neck one last time before straitening his features, removing his hand to gracefully cross like his brothers on the table, and linking eyes with the prince; "It means dead-last in Japanese."

The prince's mouth hung open. The king allowed himself to be referred to as dead-last? The king shook his head in a mocking gesture. "Hahaha-" he laughed sarcastically "-Don't worry, the teme knows that I'm not a dobe, I'm king! Beat his sorry-ass rank!" He said, flashing the infectious smile again. The prince was shocked to say the least, "what's a teme-"

"It means bastard." The youngest Uchiha offered seemingly unaffected by the insult. The prince made a confused face, what kind of a relationship is built on insults? Especially towards a king from a knight. But then, he supposed, he felt a jealous tinge in himself that these young boys had each other and were so comfortable with each other that they can throw insults freely; and their kingdoms respected their rather unorthodox relationship.

A large bowl was placed in an empty space on the table. Naruto's eyes brightened considerably and he dragged the large bowl towards himself. Iruka had never seen the food in the bowl, it looked like worms! Naruto started eating the substance with two sticks Iruka recognised as chopsticks, not even stopping to breathe.

"What is that?" he asked, and watched as Sasuke laughed and Naruto nearly choked on the long strips of noodle hanging from his mouth.

"ITS RAMEN!" he screamed, holding the bowl like a child and smiling to himself, Sasuke gave a small genuine smile as he watched his love cradle the noodles, before straitening his face and addressing the prince. "There an unhealthy form of noodles that Naruto loves more than me."

The king laughed "That's not always true teme," Naruto spoke in a soft voice before kissing the ravens cheek and leaving a dribble of noodle broth on a pearly white skin. The Uchiha wiped the liquid from his cheek and scowled at the king, who seemed not to care at all and went back to his noodles.

"Why don't you offer the prince some ramen, Naruto? He has yet to eat something," the elder Uchiha asked. Iruka hadn't even noticed he had not been eating; he was far too busy observing the guests.

"Oh yeah! Iruka should try some!" the boy shoved the large bowl towards the prince, smiling and searching the table for a set of chopsticks. The prince held up his own chopsticks and made sure the kings saw them before he placed them in his hand. He had training as a boy to hold any form of cutlery in case of over sea visitors.

He collected a selection of the food in the bowl, looking at it for a moment as the liquid around the noodles dripped back into the bowl. The two Uchiha's made a strange strangled gagging sound and Iruka managed to decode them as sounds of repulse and distaste.

"SHUT UP TEME!"

He spun the noodles around the chopsticks so that the larger pieces wouldn't get stuck around his mouth and watched as some shorter noodles fell back into the bowl. The two teens continued to bicker as he took his first bite of the ramen.

He loved it. He could defiantly see why Naruto enjoyed the noodles so much he almost wished he could through caution to the wind and eat the noodles in the same shambolic fashion the blonde king did, but he would get a scolding from his own king if he were to do so. He politely took several small chopstick helpings of the noodles onto his plate –making sure not to deprive the blue-eyed boy of what was obviously his favourite food- and handed the bowl back to the king.

He watched in slight awe as the boy inhaled his noodles and proceeded to order another large bowl from a passing waiter; the bowls were a good 30 centimetres in diameter and equally as deep, Iruka had never seen such an appetite! He wondered if the food was rare in japan for the boy to eat so much; surely eating it regularly would make him sick of the food?

-000-

"So tell me, Orochimaru, who the hell is the brunette at the end of the table?" Tsunade asked; one hand clutching a silver _old-_English-tankard (1) filled with sake the Japanese had provided. She often drank it so she asked Naruto via-letter to bring several crates since the sake from her own realm often tasted cheap.

"We know you _definitely _haven't had any kids!" Jiraiya shouted loudly, attracting the attention of Asuma and Kurenai who sat talking idly to themselves at the very end of the table.

"Well, my dear teammates, he is just a simple orphan I picked up; he was quite intelligent when I met him and played a rather viscous trick on one of my maids,"

Tsunade nodded and Jiraiya looked upon the brunette seated at the end of the table. He sat quietly; arms on his lap and plate half clear- timid, she decided. She guessed Orochimaru had been brutal in raising him; since the boy he described having picked up was nothing like the man who sat uncomfortably at the end of the table. Tsunade pondered for a second (contrary to popular belief, she was actually very smart). She decided not to ask Orochimaru of the _real _reason he had taken in Iruka, and so took a swig of her sake.

"Do you remember when Orochimaru thought he could beat Tsunade at a drinking contest?" Tsume spoke next to Kiba and Hinata opposite him. Hana didn't sit with them because she wasn't considered noble enough as a simple vet. Not that Hinata or Kiba knew though, they just thought she would prefer to sit in her room.

-000-

Iruka watched in awe as Naruto finished his fifth bowl of ramen and collapsed back onto Sasuke; smiling to himself and stroking his stomach.

"Ha! Knew I could do it… in your face teme…" he said, too worn out to shout. Sasuke and Itachi looked at him with a strange look; almost like sympathy and annoyance mixed into one.

"Naruto, you should have saved some for me!" a deep, masculine voice called, velvety and syrupy. Iruka looked up to see the owner of the voice, he saw a confused looking announcer who had obviously been expecting the owner of the voice to announce himself, not complain about the kings eating habits. He also saw, by far, the most attractive man he had ever seen in his entire life.

The man's hair was spiked wildly; leaning to one side in a gravity-defying show of silver, His face was covered by a mask that started from his shoulders and worked its way to his nose; it was black and made from a material that wasn't especially exciting; nor rags. It made him seem mysterious; but Iruka could see through the mask that the man had sharp, chiselled features because the material was pulled tight; he man clearly had a sharp, long and masculine jawline.  
He met with mismatched eyes; something he had never encountered. One eye was a lazy grey colour; not vibrant or striking like Naruto's, but it told stories and poems to Iruka and the prince felt himself swoon. The other eye was a striking red; a scar ran across it from his forehead to his cheek; Iruka suspected it was a war injury and had changed colour when it was slashed. The man wore simple clothing, a pair of baggy trousers unlike most the prince had seen and a black long sleeve t-shirt, sleeves protruding from a baggy dark-green vest with a large red swirl painted on the back, and Iruka noticed how he held himself; lazily, his shoulders slumping slightly as he walked over to the table at a leisurely pace.

"This is Kakashi Hatake, who has arrived at his own pace after inspecting our castle." The announcer said with a hint of sarcasm and annoyance in his tone.

The man, Kakashi, walked over to the chair opposite Iruka; eye contact remaining as the prince nervously fumbled with the chopsticks in his hand. He had women and men look at him before, he was a prince; it happens, but they always seemed to look though him at the king.  
He had never had a woman or a man before; he found he was too submissive with both sexes, and could never find a man who would dominate him because they were scared he would leave them if they were too overbearing, and they would lose their place in the castle. Women who were dominant over him spent too long away in shops or with makeup, spending away the kings and country's money. He did meet one shy girl once, but found he was too nervous to make moves; and she was too, so nothing ever amounted. He had never seen someone like this; Kakashi seemed to have the perfect balance of being dominant and laid-back. A perfect balance. Perfect.

The man sat, moving around in the chair before he felt comfortable; and then leaning back and observing the company.

"You're a few hours late, Kakashi, as always." The young Uchiha stated and Naruto let out a snort of laughter and lay over completely on his chair; head on Sasuke's lap and feet braced against the side of Iruka's chair.

"Yes, it appears so doesn't it Sasuke?" Iruka blushed profusely for reasons he didn't understand, the man was late, so what? How could he be blushing from such a statement? It was probably the man's voice. Deep and almost like molten chocolate. He could feel the words wrapping around him and rooting him to the chair; even though he would like nothing more than to run to his room and hide under his hideous bed sheets. They were like ribbons; he decided, ribbons that tied him up like a present he would happily give to this beautiful man in front of him. Whose eyes still were firmly locked onto the prince as he spoke to Naruto.

"Get lost on the road of life again?" Naruto observed form his place under the table; Iruka broke eye contact without thinking to observe the blonde, Sasuke stroking the bright hair idly as the king spoke.

"No, I stopped to smell the roses, and the lilacs, and the sunflowers, and the-"Iruka let out a chuckle as he tried not to fully laugh at the man's excuse. Kakashi paused and waited patiently for the prince to calm himself. So he could observe the man's chocolate eyes once more.

Iruka silently kicked himself as he felt gold eyes observing him; he had actually humoured a late guest and Orochimaru was watching. He turned bright red and looked down into his lap.

He had never really been a giddy person, anyway, he told himself.

-000-

Iruka didn't register much for the next half an hour; he knew that his cup was filled with wine and his king had asked for it to be changed to water for him, and then Sasuke had to fight the cup from Naruto and had complained about how the blonde acted when he was drunk. He also knew Sasuke had done something to Naruto under the table that made the boy's legs flail around and kick the elder Uchiha by accident, he knew that one of the dogs Kiba and his mother had brought clambered on the table when a joint of game was laid on it and proceeded to eat the entire thing before the shy white-eyed girl offered him her hand and he nuzzled it as she led him away, but everything else was a blur except for Kakashi. Oh, he also remembers lee and guy shouting and projecting messages of "youth" and "love" throughout the night from their place near Tsunade they had taken after going for a "most youthful tour of the castle!"

He and Kakashi didn't talk nearly as much as he had wished they would. The man infuriated him actually, often teasing him.

"Iruka child," Orochimaru called from his place on the table; holding his hand in the air in an expectant form. No one could notice, but his hands shook with the effort and weight of holding up his frail limb. Iruka looked up and gave a small nod.

"Yes your majesty,"

"You should not just eat the noodles, have some rabbit,"

Iruka tried to conceal the looks of distaste on his face at the idea of eating the rabbit; they were cute animals and Orochimaru often asked for their heads to be kept on when they were cooked. Despite this look, the king moved the rabbit toward the young Uchiha. Iruka noticed the tensing of the boy's body as his hand was brushed against by the kings.

The rabbit was placed next to him; looking at him. The conversation continued on the table as the rabbit stared its dead and bloody eyes at him.

The worst part was golden eyes looked at him too, waiting for him to try the rabbit.

"Want me to cut it?" the silver haired knight asked; picking up the meat cleaver on the same plate as the rabbit before the prince could stop him, "N-No!" the prince shouted before the sound of metal hitting metal resounded around the hall.

"Who wants the head?"

-000-

He picked up a lot of the knights habits from the man in front of him as he read an unnamed book however. He knew that the man would absently play with the page before he turned it; read the first line of the new page and turn back to re-read the last line of the previous page—to check, he presumed.

He learned that the man didn't take down his mask to do anything and even avoided eating, so that he may keep the mask on. Iruka did ponder for a moment about what was under it, but decided he wouldn't want people asking questions about his face and so left the subjects alone.

Kiba and Hinata observed the couple form their place along the table, "I think Kakashi likes him a little," Kiba whispered to his wife, off course having no concept of volume (much like Naruto) the snake-like king heard this and his ears strained to listen the dog-boy.

"W-what makes you say that, Kiba?" the stuttering, white-eyed girl asked. Neji listened too since he had heard the man's loud whisper.

"He's looking at him over his book! And he cut off the rabbits head," he said slightly louder.

Shikamaru, sat next to Kakashi, had noticed this also. He saw how the man looked over his book at the blushing and timid prince and how he had folded the bottom of his books page so that he could turn pages without reading them, and still hold his place in the book.

But Shikamaru was a genius, so it wasn't hard for him to notice these things.

"W-why would him cutting off the rabbits h-head mean he liked prince Iruka?" the shy, white-eyed girl asked.

"Because Kakashi's socially challenged; that's basically him flirting," Kiba said in a know-it-all kind of way, but he wasn't wrong.

Orochimaru smirked and decided to play a game called _"How red can we make the prince of Konoha," _since these knights had so happily provided him his playing cards.

-000-

During the night, the silver-haired man didn't speak, until he was prompted by Orochimaru after the king decided on his tactic of gameplay; which took Iruka out of his dream like state. "Kakashi, may I ask what you were doing around my castle for 2 hours?" he enquired, his tone challenging. Iruka guessed that the silver-haired man would happily accept the challenge, and was happily proven right.

"It was just such a pretty building; I wanted to check it out, your royal highness," he mock bowed; flailing his arm with the book around slightly and the prince- although he would deny it when the king asked him later- stifled a laugh.

"Hmm, and I was _going_ to allow the prince to show you around since you seemed to have such an interest in him when you entered."

Shika's eyebrows flicked; he guessed he wasn't the only one to notice as he usually was. Kiba and Hinata stopped their speech also to observe the conversation.

Iruka was mortified. His king was deliberately embarrassing him! He felt his face heat up and go through a thousand shades of red and he resisted the urge to hide his face, instead looking to the silver-haired knight for help.

The entire table went quiet as they observed the argument; Tsume Inuzuka looked very happy to have some form of fight taking place, and had her tongue happily hanging from her mouth like her dogs. Their dogs were occupied with food but he were intrigued non-the-less.

"Surely it is his choice if he wishes to show me around? Maybe I will have that tour; I have yet to see the gardens, since I was busy admiring the curtains, very…urr-" he deliberately paused so that it looked like he was thinking of a word to describe the drapes around the castle, making sure to anger the king with the time he was taking. Iruka knew why he was struggling; the curtains were a frightful brown with snakes sewn in with green thread; hardly attractive, in his own opinion, and Kakashi's too apparently. "Unique... your royal highness." Another mock bow followed in the same fashion as the old one; Iruka was going to die at this rate.

* * *

The evening carried on as normal, before people became too drunk and began to try and fight each other. The evening ended abruptly for Iruka as he lay in his bed; feeling the sheets again and wishing death upon every strand of silk in them. Kakashi hadn't spoken the rest of the night, he simply carried on reading (although, Shika, Kiba, Orochimaru, Neji and Hinata had figured out it wasn't really _reading_) and sure enough left without a word, not even looking back as he walked away with a slightly tipsy Naruto slung around his shoulders, a grumbling Uchiha following.

He would have liked a hand shake, or even just a nod since the man had caused him so much embarrassment.

He started getting frustrated and tried to grip his sheets to release the anger; but found they slipped through his fingers. What was wrong with him? He didn't even know the man and he was already wishing for things. The knight was worming into his mind and he didn't even know! He couldn't deny staring at the man when he wasn't speaking with Naruto, and that made him even angrier because the silver-haired knight hardly spared him a glance over that darn book!

Why was he even bothered; he was a prince! He must marry a woman and make babies! Not _worry _over some knight!

He felt overwhelmed with emotion as he stood from his bed and began tearing his sheets from the mattress; taking the pillowcases one by one and wandering why he wasn't just aloud one pillow for one person, extinguishing his candle in his haste to remove the sheets.

After an agonizing fight with his bed he finally held every-single-last puce silk sheet and he made his way towards his balcony.

He should have looked out of the window before he gruffly charged through the white-wood doors and threw his disgusting sheets over the balcony and down onto the gardens below; almost cackling as he watched the sheets land in a heap on the dirty ground. His arms shot up in a sign of victory that Guy and his young assistant would have been proud off.  
He really should have checked for an audience as he stormed his way back into his –arms falling to his side as his fatigue caught up with him- bedroom and slammed his doors closed, closing the equally purple curtains-which were defiantly next- panting and gritting his teeth before falling in a mass of angered and red limbs onto his now silk-free bed.

It felt fantastic to remain in the same place and not slip around the bed, and for once he felt as though he could almost stand this place.

-000-

Kakashi looked in awe at the balcony from one of the trees in the garden. He sat here to get some fresh air; he had seen the tree from one of the windows on his self-guided tour around the castle and he felt like it would be a good place to sit and read one of his books, or sleep. The summer nights were long and warm; and he didn't like the silk sheets that were in his room, they were a sickly brown colour and he was convinced they were blue before a maid went into his room, obviously the king was offended by the curtain comment and had decided to make the knights room themed on the horrible fabric.

He could never have wished for a better place to sit; he could see the prince from here! The tree was tall enough that he could jump from it unharmed, yet still have a fantastic view of the prince's room.

He leered to himself as he watched the caramel beauty walk around his room, holding his hands nervously. He wandered how the man could be nervous while walking around his own room; surely it would bring comfort. The man went into a small room the knight presumed was a bathroom and came back wearing a long night shirt and no bottoms. The knight couldn't help but wish he could burn the sight of the princes long brown legs into his memory forever; the sight of the man with his brown hair down as he brushed it in slow strokes and long, lean legs out really did make it hard to sit still. His book hung in his limp hands on his lap; he couldn't even be bothered to_ pretend_ to read.

The man disappeared and Kakashi felt himself sigh that he could no longer watch, he considered sneaking up onto the balcony, it's not like the king would hear him, but he knew if he was somehow caught he would have no excuse.

He waited a few minutes to check the man wasn't coming back.

He saw the candlelight from the room disappear and knew the man was going to sleep. He wandered why he didn't draw his curtains but then saw the man returning with what looked like a blanket in his arms, he watched the man stumble on some of the loose sheets and considered helping the man before he saw something that truly puzzled him.

Why was the prince of Konoha throwing his bed-sheets over his balcony?

He resisted laughing as he watched the man literally chuck his purple bed sheets from the balcony; he actually fell off his branch when he saw the man throw his arms in the air with victory.

He laughed all the way back to his room; scaring a lot of the maids.

The prince had clearly had enough of the silk too.

* * *

(1) A silver cup that people in the Middle Ages use, you can Google-image "_old_English tankards" and you will see.

**Next Time: **The consequences of iruka's actions.


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer:** I don't think we need these, since the site is called "FanFiction" It gives it away that I'm only a "Fan".

**A/N: **the facts on the Uchiha murder and are totally off; I changed them to fit the story. It's my fanfiction; I can do that if I want to!

**_VERY IMPORTANT AUTHORS NOTE:_**

**_I know I have already posted this, I'm just correcting errors and I have news;_**

**_A lot of people said this was cliché, and then I was struck with an entirely new plot that takes place from this point onwards. _**

**_It won't take long to write since a lot of it is what has already been in the story; but it may be a few days before I can post chapter 5._**

**_Thank-you for waiting and reading!_**

* * *

Iruka woke with a small smile on his face. He hadn't woken all night; nor had he slipped as he got up from his bed. Today was going to be great, he decided. He didn't need to ponder over the knight; it's not like he could ever _do anything _with the knight; they were from totally different sides of the earth! He was a prince, and Kakashi was a foreign knight brought in to train Orochimaru's army; he was stuck here and Kakashi would leave. He had a commitment which would be filled, and then he would leave; if the knight even survived.

Iruka visibly shuddered at the thought; he had never been so morbid before.

-000-

As he made his way towards the garden for a morning walk, as he often before breakfast with the king and in this mornings case on his own, he felt lighter than he had the day before. He had slept well, he wasn't wearing heavy fur and he didn't have a certain knight in his mind what-so-ever. Not even slightly, and he was fine with that.

He had chosen to wear a simple dark green shirt that ties up under his neck and black trousers made from a soft and comfortable fabric. Sure enough, the nobles gave him strange looks for dressing so casually around the castle. If his guests were dressing so casually then he could too, it was common courtesy that he make them feel comfortable wasn't it?

He told himself this as he walked through the garden slowly, enjoying the flowers. He had asked once if he may garden; but the king mistook this as a plea for him to choose the flowers, which was only partly true. When Iruka was told yes he jumped for joy at being allowed to do something he enjoyed for once; but as he sat with a long scroll with several hundred flower names on them and a floor plan of the gardens; he felt more disappointed than if the king had simply said no. He watched from his window as teachers taught him Spanish, German and Dutch and the ways of the many countries around the globe; still he felt as though he was not experiencing the world. He had only been 16; barely old enough to understand the complexities of being a prince; but he did understand one thing. He was to watch the gardeners plant the flowers _he_ chose from his room for 3 long years and he was going to do absolutely nothing about it; because that's what a prince must endure.

He looked upon some bluebells that he had watched grow from seeds and noticed how they had all be grown in almost a square and geometric fashion and wandered how the gardeners had taken the natural growth and pattern form plants; was that even possible for something so natural, organic and beautiful to be stripped so easily just by its positioning? He sat on one of the many stone benches positioned around the flower displays and did what he did every time he was outside; he re-planned the garden the way he had hoped it to be.

He saw large oak and pine trees protruding from the ground in every directions, many arrays of bluebells, roses and tulips in bright yellows and blues sprouting sporadically from any places the tree's did not take. He saw a lake running through the middle of all of this with tadpoles and frogs inhabiting it; he saw mischief and several children trying to catch the tadpoles, boys and girls scooping the frogspawn from the water and observing them before he rushes over to put the spawn back into the water; and explain to his students why the eggs need to remain in water.

As a prince he knew it was stupid to wish for such a mediocre and common profession such as teaching; but he couldn't deny how much he would enjoy the job. He had never grown the courage to ask if he may do such a job, Orochimaru seemed perfectly happy to train him in the ways of leading and control. He always hoped he may have a class of students; even if he was given the most outrageously behaved. He would play teacher as a child when he had the time between lessons, he played it when he lived with his parents before they died; he remembered the house he lived in, and his mother. She was a truly magical women; he remember the way she would hold in her laughter as he ran through lessons with her and sat her with the rest of his class, who at the time were his stuffed animals and dolls. His father would come home from working as an office clerk and would present him with several sheets of paper he had stolen from work; as his family were not rich enough to afford things like it when the country's economy was preparing for the great war, and they lived far out in the country were shops were scarce. His father would write out books day in and day out and it was quite a respectable job considering most of the population couldn't read. He suspected that was why Orochimaru took him in, since he was already thoroughly educated from his mother's common knowledge and fathers books.

He had been so lost in thought he didn't notice a silver-haired knight approach him and sit next to him.

Kakashi stared at the man for a moment and considered tapping his shoulder but decided the man's thoughts must have been important for him to not snap out of his daze when the knight approached. He hoped the prince wouldn't awake from his daydream soon; he enjoyed looking at his face. He decided he liked the man's outfit today; green suited him far more than blue.

Shikamaru, currently walking towards the dinner hall so he may have breakfast, saw them from the pathway he took in the garden. He smirked to himself at how obvious Kakashi was being. They had only known each other for a few hours and the man was already drooling; it wasn't right. He continued walking since it was too troublesome to interrupt.

Iruka tilted his head and leaned it on his shoulder. Doing so; he caught a glimpse of silver from the corner of his eyes. He looked over his shoulder, and was met with mismatched eyes yet again. He didn't comprehend what was happening for a good 30 seconds; still believing he was dreaming. But then, he thought, why would the knight be in his dream? He had no intentions of thinking of the man again (not that his brain would listen to that) and every intention of not meeting him, let alone in his dream world.

When he finally figured out that he was staring into another man's eyes like a love-sick puppy, he jumped slightly and stood from is chair -_fast_- and had to sit back down to stop the rushing in his head.

He looked to the knight with slightly dizzy eyes, "Wh-wha?"

"I had to check this bench; I've already checked all the others, I don't want Naruto to fall and hurt himself after all, just testing it," he offered, moving around slightly looking thoughtfully to prove his point but decided that he could get something out of this. "Also, I was told to go to breakfast and I wandered if you would walk with me." The knight stated as if it was the most obvious and normal thing in the world for a knight to accompany the prince on a walk to breakfast.

Kakashi started to worry that he would receive a no as the prince made a thoughtful face. Iruka didn't know whether it would be a good idea to arrive at the dining hall with the knight; wouldn't that be suspicious? He felt his cheeks redden as he thought of what the nobles may think they were doing… He felt a pang in his stomach he had never felt before when he thought about how the knight would never normally be seen with him. He was a spoiled, higher class, lonely prince, who wasn't even prince by blood! He was a mere peasant by blood technically, not that anyone knew that. Mutton dressed as lamb almost; apart from the fact he wasn't old. Although he felt like he had lived in the castle for hundreds of years sometimes.

"I don't know the way to the dining room," Kakashi blabbered out; not really thinking about it as he desperately thought of a reason to walk with the prince. He had to tease him about the bed sheets, didn't he?

The prince raised a thin brown brow, didn't know his way around? He had probably seen more of the castle than he had himself in those two hours he spent "Touring".

"Then how did you get here?"

"I can see you from my window." The knight stated, waving his hand behind him lazily and Iruka tried to see where he was waving.

"O-OK, I'll take you,"

-000-

They walked in a silence Iruka had never encountered before; it wasn't as comfortable as when he walked with mischief, nor as uncomfortable as when he walked with Orochimaru or one of the maids. He found Orochimaru only spoke when it was about his "Progress" and the maids were generally cold towards him. It was a silence that could have been filled with conversation, but wasn't overly awkward in the silence. It was clear that the two were not exactly conversationalists and they didn't really have much to say to each other; well, the prince had nothing to say. He could not see the smirk behind the knight's mask as he recalled the previous nights… _show._

"May I ask you a question, your highness?"

"Iruka," The prince automatically corrected; he thought nothing of it and told most to call him by his own name. Most ignored him though.

"Sure? I don't wanna' get in trouble with Orochimaru," Kakashi worried; but was inwardly beaming at the fact he could be on first name terms with the prince. He, unlike the prince, had no objections about being open on how he found the prince attractive. Sasuke wasn't a signed knight anymore, but he was planning to marry the blonde king of Konoha's sister village (As soon as one of them submitted and wrote their name as the bride on the marriage certificate) - unconcerned with the fact he had only a respected name and was a man- Kakashi had a respected name, and was a legal member of court. He could find no problems, unless the prince was one of those "I must be strait and make babies for my kingdom" kind of prince. He highly doubted that this man had been with women though as he looked at him from the corner of his grey, unmasked eyes.

He was a timid man who he noticed didn't tend to attract attention to himself; the man was truly and enigma. But Kakashi knew he would warm up to him, he knew because he was a little bit of an optimist and wasn't one to give up.

Well, most of the time.

"I think you're already in trouble with his majesty, Sir Kakashi,"

Oh, he thought, maybe not entirely first name basis then. "Just Kakashi, and what would make you say that?" Kakashi noticed that they were approaching the dining hall much faster than he would have liked and tried to slow his pacing; he considered pretending to admire the tapestries on the wall but when he glanced at them they only had similar patterns to the ones in his own kingdoms castle; mostly biblical tales and stories of war, although this one had a lot more snakes then he remembered his own having.

"O-oh ok, Kakashi, a- at dinner last night when you insulted his majesty's curtains and his status as king."

"But he already got me back! I think he's going to be angry with you more,"

Iruka's face reddened in nerves, angry? Why would the king be angry with him? What had he done! Was it how quiet he was the night before? Or that he was socializing with the man who insulted his curtains... and how had the king "got him back"?

"W-w-why would he-?"

"Let's just say the show you put on last night was very entertaining," the knight winked.

Iruka, for the second time in two days, was mortified. They reached the dining hall with the knight still cackling lowly to himself, and the prince's mouth hanging open slightly before it was snapped shut. The door was opened by a well-dressed butler.

"Ahh, Iruka my child; come sit, we must… discuss, something" the king called; fingers tangled together in a sinister action as he tapped his foot impatiently under the table.

* * *

They sat around the large dining hall once again. The king of Konohagakure sat in his usual place in the middle of the table, many of the guests were nursing hangovers in their rooms; expect Tsunade, who had discovered more alcohol in the morning can "cure" it. She sat opposite Orochimaru and gulped down an alcohol Iruka had never seen before and complaining about how half of the people who the king had hired couldn't handle their liquor, Kiba and Hinata sat on the end of the table to Orochimaru's right with Neji near Hinata; slapping away Kiba's wandering hands every so often, Shika had chosen to sit (or lay) with them today. He wasn't one for gossip, but he wanted to see how much Kiba and Hinata knew about Kakashi and Iruka. Lee and Guy had gone out for a run this morning as they always did; to "Revive their youthful vigour" or something, Naruto had told him but he blanked out at revive.

Naruto, Sasuke and Itachi sat were they had the previous night. Naruto seemed cheerful for someone who was slightly drunk the previous evening but Iruka supposed his cheerful personality was like a solution to every problem. Sasuke and his brother huffed and puffed their cheeks as they listened to the excited blonde tell the prince about his life.

Iruka learned that Naruto was the king by blood and his father had ruled before him; before the king and queen had died saving him from kidnappers in the end of the Great War; which had raged for 5 long years. Iruka had lost his parents when he was 10, during the first year of the war. Naruto lost his parents when he was only a few months old; during the third year of war.

He felt like he and Naruto had a connection; they both lost their parents in the war; even if there was a 10 year age gap between them.

Naruto went into great detail about how he and Sasuke met and took obvious pride in his relationship with the man. He and Sasuke met when they were in school; 8 years old. The prince was shocked to discover that Kakashi had been their tutor in school while they trained to become knights, because the man would have been only a teen. He resisted the urge to look over at the man, he guessed he was just reading _that book _anyway. He was, but off course as he had been the night before, was observing the man in front of him converse with the blonde king. Iruka learned that when Sasuke and Naruto were 12 Sasuke's entire family was murdered by his uncle Madara and Itachi had left in order to kill him. Itachi growled low in his throat when the blonde leaned over the table and squeezed his cheek. "Little 'tachi wanted to help his baby brother!" he called before continuing the story.

Apparently, and Naruto really stressed this, Sasuke was a very "angsty" (Iruka was sure this wasn't a word) teen and believed his brother had left him. Sure enough; he left in search of his brother when he and Naruto finished army training -when they were 14- and Naruto spent over one year following his best friend around the world. Madara was killed by Itachi and Sasuke happily met up with Naruto, were they fought about their feelings and clumsily confessed their love for one another

Sasuke actually blushed when Naruto spoke about how he was dragged back to the village unconscious because Naruto had beaten him to a pulp. "And then our love was consummated!" He called and Sasuke had to cover his mouth when he looked as though he would continue.

"Naruto there was no need to bore him with that story," Kakashi said in a bored tone, Naruto obviously told the story a lot.

"No, it's quite alright, a lovely story Naruto!" Iruka cheered, he really did love this little blonde boy; he reminded him of himself at a young age; he just had someone to help him through it.

"Yes, quite, and I too have a lovely story for you Iruka," The elder raven called from down the table. Iruka sub-consciously looked to Kakashi for help and saw the man put his book away. He knew from the creases around the man's mismatched eyes that he was smirking.

"W-what would that be, your majesty Orochimaru?"

Kakashi was really enjoying himself. He had even put his favourite porn book away; written by Jiraiya. He had almost had a fan boy moment when he met the man the first time but decided if he played it cool, he might be able to suggest plotlines. He wouldn't be beneath suggesting a saucy love story between a prince and knight to hope Iruka got ideas. The book was named "Make-out paradise", make-out being the American word for steamy kissing; he discovered.

"Well, Iruka-" Kakashi watched as Iruka visibly flinched as the snake-man lowered his voice and hardened his tone. Sasuke held Naruto's hand under the table tight as the blonde boy grew angry at the king for addressing the prince so cruelly "-It's a story of an ungrateful prince. Heard it?"

Iruka closed his eyes and braced for impact. Kakashi frowned; no, this wasn't meant to happen! It was funny; they should have seen it! It should be taken lightly, Iruka looked as though he would cry; why would anyone want to make those beautiful chocolate brown eyes sad? He had to help the prince!

"Oh! I have your Royal Highness Sir," he said, holding his pale, half gloved hand up in a thumbs up sign and mock grinning; knowing his eyes would show it. He hadn't thought it through; just acted, and now he felt like an idiot.  
Shikamaru, who had turned at the king's harsh tone, caught on immediately although he didn't know what Iruka had done. Itachi and Sasuke were almost there and Naruto was totally clueless.

"Really, Kakashi, well I'm sure this version is far more-"

"-there was once a prince who had these _vile_ bed sheets, right?" Kakashi was enjoying himself again. He glanced to the brunette and felt sadness well up as he saw the man's head ducked low and pieces of chocolate hair falling from his ponytail to mix in with sad eyes. He was going to make this man happy again.

"Hatake, sir, I must ask you-"

"-And so he chucked em' because let's face it, they were horrible and so they got a little dirt on them; it's not like you were gonna' keep them for more than a fortnight anyway."

Orochimaru growled low in his throat, this knight was starting to piss him off. "And may I ask how you have acquired that information? I'm told your room is the other side of the castle."

Naruto and Kiba exchanged looks as they didn't understand what was happening; Sasuke rolled his eyes that a king couldn't work something out.

"You know very well were my room is! You had my bed sheets changed like your curtains!"

Iruka shifted uncomfortably on his chair; he didn't like the idea two people were fighting over him. He glanced over to look at the king and silently begged him to leave it alone. It never normally worked, but he could try.

"We will discuss this later Iruka," He stated, Kakashi growled low in his throat. What would he do to the poor prince? He suspected that a lashing would be proposed since the king just looked that sadistic. He really didn't like this guy; and now he was employed by him.

-000-

The dinner continued awkwardly. Kakashi noted how Iruka never seemed to eat in others presence and found it strangely endearing.

Iruka had noticed something that frightened him a little; he knew Orochimaru was a very… physical man and often touched the people he was fond off; but he seemed to be very content to place his hands all over the young Uchiha; who was the closest to him now that some of the knights were not at the table. The young Uchiha looked as though he would strike the king down; and Naruto seemed to be following him.

The sat in silence as the Uchiha tried to dodge the man's hands over and over; the elder even looked angered, and the prince presumed he would find it funny. He king obviously wasn't on the knights' good sides'.

The silence ended, however, when the young Hinata girl timidly asked where he sister in law was.

"W-where is H-Hana? She w-wasn't here L-last night," she whispered, unable to help stuttering and Iruka noticed how he small pearly hand found purchase in the white dogs fur under the table and the other with her husband's hand.

"A mere vet doesn't get to sit at the knights table," Orochimaru coldly replied. "She's not even a medic; she sits in her room for meals since there isn't a suitable table for her,"

A small gasp escaped the girls lips at the words "not even a medic", she herself was a medic and not a knight; she wasn't very good around people when her husband or dog were not there and so she panicked slightly inside about having to sit alone; since she could not see the pink haired girl she usually sat with when her husband was away.

"What's wrong child?" Orochimaru asked, obviously trying to appear friendly or caring but ultimately failing. The ice was still in his voice from scorning the prince. Iruka felt a wave of sympathy for the girl; who was clearly distressed. He offered a warm smile to her and her eyes brightened a bit; he grip on Kiba's hand loosening.

"I-I-I am a m-medic y-you majesty…" Iruka admired her bravery and nodded to her to show this; smiling even more at her so that she may continue. Neji, opposite Hinata, seemed to be scowling at the king; openly and dangerously so.

"You're what? Then pray tell child; why on earth are you sat here?" The king released a laugh from the back of his throat and it made Hinata jump in her chair. Neji put down his fork and knife gently as not to alert the king of his intentions to leave; or strike him, he wasn't sure.

"Because she's my wife!" the young Inuzuka cried; pointing with the hand not holding the girls own.; obviously not a subtle as the elder Hyuga.

"And why does that change anything?"

The pale eyed boy next to Hinata stood from his chair and led the fuming knight and shaking medic from the room without so much as a graceful flick of his hair and scowl as he closed the door.

"Well, we should retire to our rooms for a moment to prepare; you shall meet your new armies in an hour," the king spoke, gracefully standing.

He ran his hand along the back of Sasuke's neck and the raven-boy violently flinched away from it. As soon as his hand had been taken away the young blonde king wrapped his arms around his lover; holding his tight and nuzzling his chest to show that this guy was his despite the king's obvious take to him. The couple looked to the elder Uchiha in a moment of distress when they realised one of the strongest men in the world had them in his sights. The elder Uchiha nodded, and locked eyes with the king. A silent dare; the king held his hand out to Iruka and he shyly took it, he was pulled into a standing position and then the king released his hand.

His snake- eyes remained locked with the black ones; until Itachi started glaring and the king admitted defeat. He walked to leave the room and Iruka awkwardly stood for a moment before following.

Sasuke thanked his brother as they left. "Don't worry little brother;" the Uchiha replied "he shall not lay a hand on either of you."

"And what about Iruka?" Kakashi said; Naruto saddened when he thought about it and then beamed a bright smile.

"Well; we'll see him in an hour or so when he announces our armies!"

Kakashi nodded and made a note to himself; if he sees as much as a faint pink mark on the prince, he's going to tell Itachi that the king groped his brother.

That would get him moving, he was sure.

* * *

Iruka sat in the second sitting room with Orochimaru; since the two had dressed quickly and would have to wait for the knights to finish.

"I am very disappointed in you, Iruka," the kings patronizing voice called from in one of the many single-seat chairs in the room, his words bouncing on the patterned (with lime green and gold snakes in a geometric pattern) walls and around the dark-wooded floor, before racing up the young princes spine.

"i-I'm sorry your majesty, it was a momentary lapse of-"

"A lapse of sanity, Iruka, something a prince should have."

Iruka bowed his head in shame. He knew he deserved this; he shouldn't have thrown such expensive sheets from his window into the dirt so carelessly; it was a selfish action he would grow to regret much more.

"Do you know, Iruka, I saw potential in you. You are not some prankster you once were, you are a prince now. Never forget that. I have moulded you this way, and you shall remain this way."

Iruka nodded, before he felt a sharp pain race up his left cheek; he held it as soon as the sting turned into an echoing ache, he knew he deserved that.

* * *

**Next Time: **Kakashi see's what Orochimaru has done, the others arrive, and we meet the knight's armies!


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer: **not mine.

**A/N:** enjoy! Any errors, suggestions or comments then send them! And a side note, I love it when people copy and paste their favourite bits!

* * *

How Kakashi manages to get himself into these situations is beyond him sometimes. He looked upon the scrawny, undernourished and absent-minded so-called army he had been assigned to and realised that the king definitely didn't like him. He glanced over each of the 100 men he had been given to train and decided that he had his work cut out. He would actually have to put time and effort in! He was hoping to spend time with the prince his entire visit!

He looked over to the youngest Uchiha's army and saw that he had been given strong, well-built and well fed men with polished swords and armour. He even had some of the noblemen in his formation; the knight was almost certain that his own army didn't even have helmets. He knew they had swords; but wouldn't be surprised if they had wooden ones.

He saw Naruto across the mock battle field giving an inspirational speech and he silently begged that he wouldn't have to do that too.

The young men in front of him looked expectant, so he decided he might as well.

"I don't like you all very much-" he started.

* * *

Iruka had never felt so uncomfortable. His right cheek ached from the slap he had received from Orochimaru and he wandered if anyone would notice, he didn't own a mirror and so had no idea what he looked like. He hoped it wasn't purple; it felt like it was swelling.

He looked upon the training field from a small podium type-thing filled with soft chairs for him and the noblemen to observe fights or training on.

More of the knights had arrived from japan; a weapons specialist named Tenten had arrived carrying more boxes than a woman should; but refusing to give them to anyone. She had a pretty completion; rosy cheeks and pale skin, dark hair tied into two pleasant buns. She looked to young and sweet to know her way around a sword, Iruka decided.

A large boy name Chouji arrived and appeared to be Shikamaru's best friend of sorts and Shika happily followed the boy around; nodding occasionally at what the larger was saying.

3 siblings who were not from the place the others were; Sunagakure or something, he heard, had arrived. The eldest was a girl with dirty blonde hair worn in 4 different ribbons around her head. She had a long dress, not dissimilar from most of the other Japanese women who were in the castle, but the fabric was an interesting colour; it looked blue, in other lights black. The inside was red and Iruka wandered how a fabric could be one colour on the inside and another on the outside.

The middle sibling was wearing a strange combination of bandages, fabric, and purple paint on his face and had a large – well, Iruka didn't know what it was- could have been a vase wrapped in bandages, or even a person with that big tuft of hair hanging out at the top. He wanted to ask what the man was carrying but as he glanced upon the youngest sibling he decided to keep a distance.

The youngest was a short boy with fiery red hair; he had a strange marking on his forehead that Iruka had never encountered before. He wore robes that the prince had never seen; a large hat, not dissimilar to the one Naruto was wearing now, that was a foam-green colour. His robes cascaded around his short frame in whites and a similar green to the hat. Iruka was told by a guard standing next to him that the red-head was Gaara, a young boy who had taken the throne from his father after savagely murdering him. Iruka looked upon the young boy as the guard next to him explained the story of his life. The boy's father was a spiteful man and blames Gaara for the death of his wife; who had died in childbirth. Apparently, young Gaara had murdered his father when the man threatened to have his sibling's killed; and hadn't been gentle in doing so. There were many rumours about how the man died, the guard explained, some believe Gaara poisoned the man's tea, some believe he stabbed his father when he wasn't looking; and the most common was that the boy became possessed with anger and ripped his father apart.  
The girl was called Temari and the other boy Kankuro. Iruka pondered on why he youngest would receive the throne; but decided against dwelling on it, he probably received it because he was the one who killed the man. As the boy came into better sight; Iruka noticed the large gourd on his back, it was nearly as big as Gaara himself.

Iruka lightly tapped the guard's shoulder that was next to him; he wasn't the one who had told him about the Suna family, which surprised him a little. The guard nodded, but didn't turn. "U-um e-excuse me G-Guard, why does he wear that urr-"

"I don't know, you highness," he replied. He turned to face the prince and visibly winced when he saw the man's face; the bruise was large, and he could actually make out a handprint if he looked hard enough. There were large purple blotches were the hand had hit harder around the man's right cheek bone. Iruka felt the eyes on his face and grew red; not from embarrassment, but from anger. He was 27 years old and wasn't allowed to change his bedding without getting a hit like a poor child in a workhouse. Which he would have enviably been if Orochimaru had not taken him in.

He pondered on this as he watched the armies become acquainted; he laughed to himself when he saw the poor shape of Kakashi's army and the extravagance of Sasuke's.

-000-

Kakashi's speech only lasted a few minutes, mostly pauses he added for dramatic emphasis. He spoke about how much they all needed to just "Eat something fatty" and "Bulk up" while sneaking glances at the noble prince upon his dais. Sure enough, the men grew agitated and asked to be disbanded. The knight waved them off and drew out his book as he walked over to the prince. He avoided looking anxious, hoping the book would hide that fact he could barely hold down a grin.

As he approached the platform the prince sat at he decided to admire the brunette from over his book; planning a strategy.

The prince sat on a plush chair; despite the soft duck-feather cushions he seemed very uncomfortable and shifted around like a child in a doctor's office. He was surrounded by guards and noblemen, a woman approached him with wild brown hair and red triangles on her cheeks; he knew her as Tsume Inuzuka, she wore an off-white gown and held a hand out to him and he awkwardly shook it. Kakashi laughed to himself; he first felt jealous as the woman approached, but he realised Iruka was either clueless on how to greet a woman or just wasn't interested. He saw the woman knit her brows in disappointment because the prince had not laid his lips on her hand; but she began talking to him anyway.

The knight approached slowly and watched, amused, as the prince blushed and tried to get a word in on the fierce woman's conversation. The prince turned his head to look at the blur of silver coming from the corner of his eyes. He saw Kakashi approaching with his book in hand and trademark mask.

Shika and Kiba watched form the edge of the field; joined by Chouji and a blonde girl with her hair in a long, blonde pony-tail who was one of the Konoha medics.

"He's got it bad," Ino stated, crossing he arms over her simple, above-the-ankle length dress.

The two men nodded slowly in agreement. The three's brows furrowed as Iruka turned slightly and a flash of purple was seen.

Kakashi physically stopped walking as he looked upon the man's purple face; his entire cheek was swollen and blotchy. His sharp and beautiful cheekbones were bruised from and obvious hit. The knight had never felt such intent to kill a man in his life; and he killed for a living. How _dare _Orochimaru lay a hand on Iruka _at all!_ Let alone _to harm! _He noticed Iruka's eyes flick with something he didn't recognise and the prince bowed his head in shame. He must have looked so weak compared to such a strong knight.

"Prince Iruka," he said calmly; bowing his head slightly and placing his book in his pocket again. He winced and began walking again towards the man. He stood in front of him within touching distance; effectively blocking out the Inuzuka, and watched in amazement as the prince's cheeks darkened even further until even the guards around him started holding in their laughs.

"I think you owe me a tour," Kakashi stated, enjoying having this opportunity to have some alone time with the prince. Iruka, however, was not. He didn't want anything to do with this man who brought out strange feelings in him.

"This is hardly the time-"

"-Why do you address the prince with no title, Kakashi sir?" a guard interrupted, scowling at the knight.

"Because he had asked me to address him as such," he replied coolly, turning to face Iruka again and ignoring the guard's obvious displeasure. The guard, realising he wouldn't get a reaction from the knight turned to the prince and gave and angered look. Kakashi wandered why a mere guard would think he could have any form of power of the prince; wasn't the prince powerful enough to end the man's life with a click of his fingers? He allowed his eyes to scan over Iruka and noticed the man's fumbling hands and tear-filled eyes. Perhaps the guards knew the man was too timid to take action. "Continue please," he paused and made sure his eyes were visibly showing his smirk as he locked eyes with the guard "_Iruka,"_

"_Iruka sire, _you shouldn't allow such…" the guard sneered at Kakashi and the knight simply narrowed his eyes. "…Men to address you so simply,"

"I'm sorry I didn't think much of it-"

Kakashi cut off the prince's quick reply by holding his hand out in a expectant manner, Iruka looked puzzled at the gesture; what was he supposed to do?

"A tour for the guest?" Kakashi said simply, waiting for his hand to be taken. He watched with amusement as the prince struggle to find words and his mouth opened and closed over and over.

The knight rolled his mismatched eyes, "You take the hand _Iruka,_"

In a moment of unplanned and spontaneous emotions Iruka took the pale hand and was pulled away from the guards by the man. He wasn't sure of why he did it; and knew he would receive an earful for it later.

But to hell with it, he was in deep already!

* * *

Kakashi couldn't wipe the grin from his face if he tired; he felt the shocks of electricity he had read about and the sweaty palms in his books when he held the princes hand; this was what falling in love is supposed to feel like, and he was loving it. He always thought he would be terrified when he fell in love; but this was so much fun! He knew he shouldn't think of a prince in such a way and he couldn't ever justify it if they ever acted on these feelings; maybe they could just elope.

Iruka wasn't having such a good time; the knight was still holding his hand as he was pulled through the palace; he thought this was meant to be a tour, but the man seemed to know where he was going. His hands felt warm and his forehead beaded with sweat. This was not meant to be happening! What was this anyway? He felt his chest exploding and his breath caught every time the man's long, pale digits tightened on his own when he was pulled around a corner.

He made accidental eye contact with nobles as he was dragged around and closed his eyes in hope of blocking them all out. He briefly noted a warm breeze as they stopped walking.

When he opened his eyes again, he found himself in the gardens. He recognised this place as the small river that he had hoped to expand into the main garden; where he dreamed of frogspawn and children. Trees were on the other side of the small lake; they travelled around to two large oaks that worked almost as an entrance to the river, a small clearing of sorts. It was visible from the main gardens but you couldn't make out faces from it.

He looked at the knight and found he couldn't see him. A clearing of a throat caught his attention and he saw the silver-haired man sat cross-legged on the floor.

"Come join me down here Iruka, can I still call you that?"

Iruka nodded with his mouth still hanging open. How did he get here? Why did he do this! Orochimaru was going to murder him for this. He awkwardly placed himself a metre or so way from the man and looked out over the murky water.

"Did he hit you?" Kakashi asked in a strait forward manner; his lack of social skills coming in handy as he watched the man blush and failed to connect it with his forward question.

"I-I urr-"

"-So yes?"

"Y-yes… I-is it that bad?" the prince asked; gingerly reading up and placing a hand on his tender cheek; wincing to himself as a throbbing sensation started that he could feel against his hand and check.

"Yes! Haven't you seen it?" Kakashi said abruptly; not thinking it through very well as he often did around the prince. He thought about mentally punching himself, but saw Iruka blushing and almost physically patted himself sarcastically on the back; _'Well done, idiot, now you're turned on,'_

"N-no… I don't own a mirror," the prince stuttered and Kakashi felt something pang in his stomach; he wasn't sure it was a reaction to the sense of sincerity the prince emitted; or sorrow that the prince didn't think he was beautiful enough for a mirror. He knew he could look at the man all day and still ponder on how he didn't think he was the most wonderful creature in the world. He decided to leave the complements out; he may be "_socially inept" _as Sakura had put it once, but he wasn't a total moron.

"Tell me the story of this place," Kakashi said, and Iruka realised when he said "tour" he actually meant a tour of the place's he didn't understand, not the ones he had spent the knight searching.

"I-it's just a lake in a clearing,"

Kakashi dead-panned and waited for an answer. He knew for a fact Iruka would like a place like this; since he liked the main gardens.

"W-well it's a little clearing with frogs in the water and birds in the trees, rabbits in the forests. There used to be deer but the hunters saw them one day."

"How did they find them?"

Iruka furrowed his brows as he thought of when the deer used to frolic around. Some were brave enough to come close to him to drink from the water.

"The nobles grew hungry for game," he spoke quietly. Kakashi sighed. This boy was so innocent, untainted and caring. He looked as though he was truly heartbroken over the loss of the deer.

"How old are you Iruka?"

"Twenty seven, yourself-f?"

"Thirty one, you look younger,"

Iruka blinked a few times, Kakashi was 4 years his senior? That didn't seem like all that much; he had expected longer.

"M-may I ask-"

"You may ask me anything you want Iruka,"

The prince let out a bashful smile and Kakashi felt himself swoon slightly; how could a man be so oblivious to his own beauty? "Umm ok, may I ask… why you provoke Orochimaru so much?"

Kakashi thought about it a moment; there were several reasons he didn't like the king. One, he let his kingdom that was once a prosperous and peaceful place perish in war, another; he seemed to pick favourites and then discard any other as though they were mere dirt. He also had… aggressive opinions about class and royal blood, he had a strange obsession for the young Uchiha that was almost obsessive and it had only been a few days, and he changed his bed sheets.

The final; he dared to lay his hands on Iruka.

"I don't find him a good ruler." He simply said, but he knew Iruka would enquire about why he thought this and decided to take the opportunity (if it arose) to shamelessly flirt; he hoped the man would blush again.

"Why though?"

_Ahh, life was good._ "Because he has hurt you, Iruka."

And there it was; the beautiful blush spread across the prince's face and accentuated the scar running across his nose that he acquired from the great war, he dipped his head and Kakashi saw the blush fade suddenly. He became worried the prince would say something to send Kakashi away or something. Iruka looked back up and Kakashi saw tears collecting in his wonderful brown eyes; like molten chocolate only more tempting.

"Do you think I'm weak?" Iruka stated voice full of malice and hurt. Kakashi frowned; that wasn't supposed to happen. "Too frail and fragile to protect myself from a hit!"

"No, not at all-"

"And now my face is like this!"

"There's nothing wrong with your face Iruka,"

"Then why does everyone stare at me all of the time; as though I'm escaped cattle!" the prince screamed; standing from his seated position and bunching his fists angrily by his sides as he turned from the knight to face one of the trees that created the arch.

"Because you have a large bruise—people will naturally stare Iruka,"

"But it was even before that, I'm scarred and they look at me as though I should be taken away because of my face!" he said through the tears that were spilling down his face. Kakashi wanted to hold him since it seemed like what he should do; but he knew the man wouldn't like that so he simply stood. What was wrong with a scarred face anyway? He had one, and although it got his fair share of looks it wasn't any more than his accomplices got in their armour.

"What's wrong with having a scarred face, Iruka?"

Iruka's eyes widened and more tears escaped; a pathetic sob escaped his throat when he realised he had offended the knight "n-no I didn't mean to offend you sir Kakashi!" he said quickly, turning suddenly to face the man and waving his hands in a defensive manner in front of him.

Kakashi dipped his head; this man was such a weakness to him and they had hardly known each other for more than a week. He wandered if the prince had any similar feelings towards him so soon; but it only takes a moment to fall in love, and he was pretty damn close. But he had never fallen in love; and he suspected that Iruka had never either. It probably wasn't smart to fall in love with someone so off limits as a first love, but he never really was any good at anything.

"It's OK; I know you don't mean it,"

Iruka sniffed and wiped his eyes on his sleeve absently. They stood for a moment like that before Iruka seated himself again; Kakashi followed.

"I'm s-sorry Kakashi sir,"

"Just Kakashi,"

The sat in a silence again, looking upon the water. A silence that spoke louder than words; a silence that seemed to gain more and more comfort with each passing moment. And sure enough, they sat like that for half an hour in each other's presence.

Iruka glanced around the trees and saw a marking on one of the further away ones. He squinted to read it and lifted himself to see. He walked away from the knight, who looked at him with curiosity, and reached the tree. It was a little further into the hidden clearing and Kakashi observed that people in the main gardens couldn't see them if they stood there. He followed the prince.

As he looked over the brunettes shoulder he observed the man's face first; a look of serene happiness crossed his face as he laughed slightly. Kakashi looked at the tree and read the carving engraved in a love heart in the bark.

**Naruto+Sasuke **

They laughed together for a moment as they looked at the names on the tree; trust them to stake their mark on each other in a place like this.

-000-

They talked idly of Sasuke and Naruto; conversation changing from subject to subject as the hours passed.

At 9 o'clock at night they found themselves sat observing the summer sun; still out at this time. They weren't hungry despite missing lunch and dinner, nor were they cold despite the increasing shadows.

* * *

A month passed, although it seems a long time it felt like hardly a week. Kakashi's army, as hopeless as it is, was making some sort of progress. They could lift the swords _and _shields now without toppling over.

Iruka often watched him training from one of the castle rooms or outside; but was often stopped by a guard since his presence wasn't needed. Once he had snuck out and sat behind a tree. He waved to Shikamaru, Sakura, Sasuke and Asuma when they saw him and made a sign of his finger over his mouth to say "Shh" so that they wouldn't tell Kakashi. He felt a little giddy at doing something like this; it reminded him of when he was a child and he played pranks, before he was beaten into line.

He watched as Kakashi set up a dummy made from wood and string; something he had obviously trained with himself. The army of 100 men looked upon him with utter confusion as he said something the prince couldn't make out and pointed to different places on the dummy.

Iruka admired the man's armour; thick steel with intricate designs wrapped around Kakashi, he didn't wear chainmail since he was only training; nor did he wear his helmet. He wore his silver shoes and some brown trousers and his mask; which Iruka now new smelled of mint and a strange earthy smell; since the knight was often in close proximity. Iruka looked at his weapon attached to his waist, a long silver sword in its simple black case.

Kakashi drew his sword and the 100-strong-army around him "_oohed_" and "_ahhed_" at it as the sunlight reflected off of it.

The prince's eyes unconsciously widened and his mouth hung open as all of the muscles on the knight's body flexed and he took a fighting stance and slashed his sword across the trunk on the make-shift enemy.

The top of the trunk slid off and hit the floor with a _thunk_; Iruka looked upon the trunk in two pieces as the knight started talking again and the army tried not to fix their eyes on his sword.

He tried to sneak behind the tree's a lot more after that.

The entire knight population in the castle was making progress; Shikamaru's team was highest on the blackboard in the weapons room for tactics –there were 4 categories, malice, archery, tactics and overall- but towards the bottom for the amount of dummies they had slashed. Kakashi and Guy were joint in malice; but Kakashi was just slightly better at the tactical side. Each of the sand siblings had equal malice to tactics; but Gaara exceeded his siblings. Neji was exceedingly good at everything, as was Kurenai and Itachi. Kiba and Naruto were struggling a little bit; but they were determined. Tsume was best at the brute force (if that was a category), not so much the tactics; similar to lee. Tenten's team was excelling in archery much faster than any other team ever had, and Chouji and Asuma's teams were what could be considered "average" considering not one of the knights themselves was even slightly normal.

However, Sasuke seemed to be avoiding more and more of the training sessions since Orochimaru's intentions became clearer. He often asked for protection from his brother or Naruto but found they could only do so much to another king without harming international relations. On several occasions Naruto and Sasuke skipped meals to avoid the snake-like ruler and Itachi had to give excuses. He made sure the excuses were especially explicit; that the two were making love or were bathing together, just so that the obvious relationship was thrown in Orochimaru's face. Iruka and Naruto often ate together; which meant he Naruto and Sasuke often ate together since the Uchiha always ate with his lover. Especially after Orochimaru's interests were voiced.

Kakashi and Iruka met whenever they could, and Iruka found he was infatuated with the man, and he convinced himself it was because he was lonely and Kakashi was someone to talk to; but his dreams were becoming involved. At night he saw the man above him, kissing his neck and jaw and whispering sweet words in the husky voice that Iruka tried not to drool over. He wondered every morning what the king would think of him for these thoughts and if Kakashi could see it in his face.

He told Kakashi of mischief and his parents and how he was not a noble blooded man. How his parents died and he was on battle field and his father shouted at him to leave the war scene before he himself was killed, before he was dragged away and never saw them again. He told him of how mischief was as a kitten and how he often slept next to him at night and he sometimes still reached out for him absently. He also (blushing the entire time) told him of his wish to teach someday. Kakashi didn't seem overwhelmed with shock; but inside he was pretty damned surprised.  
He learned that Kakashi wore his mask because he looked a lot like his father and he didn't wish to be associated with him. He wanted to enquire why at first but found the man was cold towards the subject. A few weeks after the initial question was asked, Kakashi told him his father was a very famous knight and he was often mistaken for or compared to him. His father's name was "the white fang" and Iruka voiced his absence of knowledge of such a man. Kakashi openly smiled; allowing his eyes to visibly curve. Sometimes Iruka was too perfect.

Hinata and Kiba didn't eat at the table again; Kiba tried to sit with the nurses at one of the lower tables but had received a scorning from Orochimaru and his favourite medic Kabuto. So, they ate together in their room with Hana. Tsume chose to continue to eat at the table because she enjoyed arguing with Tsunade. Neji often sat at the table but didn't contribute; and preferred to sit in his room at dinner time because the music and feasts didn't sit well with him.

The new sand siblings didn't eat with the king either until Naruto managed to drag them to a meal once (Along with Sasuke). Gaara seemed to be able to stand sitting with the blonde, but took far more interest in the bowl-cut sporting duo. He has obviously never seen such strange men and asked them several questions a night and soon became a regular occurrence at meal times. Although, he didn't seem to enjoy having people come near lee, the youngest jumpsuit-wearing boy and openly growled at Orochimaru when he placed a hand on the boys shoulder.

Naruto had developed a habit of tackle-hugging the prince, something Iruka thought was a sign of friendship; and Orochimaru thought was a fault in the boy's brain.

The prince enjoyed watching Guy and Kakashi bicker and squabble like children in usual best-friend rivalry. It turned out they knew each other despite the distance between their nations. He often caught himself staring at the silver-haired knight, and on several occasions; found him looking back.

As the pair sat in the usual clearing, glancing upon the tree where Sasuke and Naruto's names were becoming more and more frequent; and some very explicit drawings were making their appearance, they spoke of the usual chatter.

But today; Kakashi was on a mission. He had decided a month of courting was long enough; he wanted to know what Iruka thought of a real relationship with him.

"Were your parents Japanese Iruka?"

"My mother, why do you ask?"

"Because you name "_Umino Iruka_" broken down as "_umi no Iruka_" means "sea dolphin" in Japanese,"

Iruka sat for a moment, puzzling over this; he had never known his name had meaning. He knew it was a strange name for someone born in Konoha, but he never thought much of it.

"…Really?"

Kakashi nodded.

"…does your name mean anything?"

"Yes, the name "Kakashi" is Japanese for "scarecrow" and "Hatake" means "farmland or field", so my name means "scarecrow in the farmland", cool eh'?"

"Scarecrow and dolphin…" Iruka unintentionally said out loud. He stopped smiling for a moment and, again, felt mortified. Something he felt a lot lately.

Kakashi was squealing inside; he said there names together in such an intimate way! He felt a pulling at his heart and knew that Iruka must have something for him; you don't spew something out like that for any reason. He smiled behind his mask and considered pulling it down to let Iruka see his face; and perhaps relieve the man's mortification, but he knew it would only make tension thicker.

"May I call you dolphin, Iruka?" he asked, fluttering his eyelashes slightly as if it would help.

"Wh-wont his majesty enquire-"

"Don't worry about that, it can be our thing!" he beamed, feeling like Naruto with such a wide smile across his face.

"I-I don't-"

"Great! It's nice talking to you, dolphin," he said with a grin; he was enjoying this far too much; they finally had pet names! "You can call me scarecrow if you like, or maybe shi', or Kaka? Maybe-"

"K-Kakashi, I won't c-call you t-that…" Kakashi looked at Iruka with a puzzled expression; he saw a blush adorning his scarred face and smirked behind the cloth of his mask.

"Why not?"

"B-because it's t-too familiar and-"

"Intimate?"

"Precisely, Kakashi,"

"What's wrong with us being intimate, Iruka?"

"W-well," Iruka thought about it for a moment, he couldn't deny the fact he was no longer bothered by the fact they were both male; Naruto and Sasuke didn't receive any discrimination for their open preference, and Orochimaru himself clearly swung for the other team, shown by his fondness for the young Uchiha. But that wasn't precisely the problem; the king had an obvious distaste for the knight, and he clearly wasn't going to produce heirs by himself; judging by his_ preference. _Although, that hardly seemed to faze Naruto. "Y-you know why Kakashi!" he screamed, unable to voice his thoughts. He flailed his arms in the air and stood from his seat, making his way to the tree were Sasuke's and Naruto's names were carved. He braced a hand on it and placed his forehead on the rough bark to try and cool himself. He felt a hand touch his shoulder and another lay on his waist; he jumped and tuned abruptly only to be crushed to a tree by a –mask less- knight.

His mouth hung open as he observed Kakashi's smooth pale skin; the man had full lips and a strong jawline, unscarred skin except a small white line across his lip. His eyes seemed far more beautiful now they were against his pale skin; his mismatched orbs looked straight into the princes chocolate ones. Pale hand came to hold his over his head against the coarse wood of the tree; a grip firm but not painful.

"W-wha-"

"I'm afraid I don't know, _dolphin, _please educate me,"

"K-Kakashi I am a… a" he wavered, was prince even the right word for what he was? He hardly fitted the definition, peasant blood; he was basically a servant, beaten by the king and told what to do; disrespected by even maids. "…Prince! A prince! I cannot be involved with you like this!"

"Why not? Naruto is a king; Sasuke isn't even a legal knight and they are far more _involved _than us! I am a very noble knight, respectable and I want to be _involved _with you!"

"But why!" Iruka cried out, sobbing lightly as felt tears brimming over his eyes. "I'm not anything…" he let out a chocked cry and rested his head on a muscled shoulder. Kakashi felt his pony tail brush is cheek and he released the man's wrists. The prince's arms immediately rested around his neck and his own untied the tie holding the prince's hair up; he stroked his fingers through the soft brown strands for the first time as Iruka cried into his shoulder. He didn't even think much of it, just did what he wanted.

"You are far more than that to me, Iruka, I want to make you feel like mischief were here again; when you could stand this place,"

"I could never stand this place even if you _and _mischief were here,"

"Well then, we can leave this place someday,"

"Don't be _stupid_, if it was so easy I would do it myself."

"I'm serious, you and I can run away; you can teach and I can find some other work; we can buy a cat and a dog, lots of dogs, I like dogs. We could-" Kakashi blushed furiously "-get married, live in a house and you could plan the garden like you always wanted to,"

"It's all very cliché Kakashi, every single set of lovers make this pact-"

"Well, maybe we can be the first; I don't know if it occurs to you but were not exactly normal. You can come to japan with me and we can, y'know, elope!"

Iruka sighed. He had no intention of believing this crap. As much as it was everything he wanted; to live with a cat, dogs, Naruto and his friends; Kakashi…

"It would never happen, you are going to go to war soon,"

"I thought you would have more faith in me, I've been in far more fights than I care to list and have come out alive,"

"Well my luck has never been good!" Iruka cried out again and pushed against the strong chest in front of him suddenly. "It wouldn't happen! And my parents are here!"

"You parents _monument _is here; you'll find one in my own village, Iruka, we can visit it together and I can meet you parents,"

Iruka's arms strained as he pushed Kakashi away harder; still the man didn't budge and it only made Iruka feel weaker and weaker, his sense of thought and a feeling of numbness catching up with him.

Kakashi placed his hands over tanned ones on his own chest and sighed. "I always thought I was a rational person, _Iruka." _He growled, making the prince stop and lock onto his eyes. The younger unconsciously shivered at the aggression he saw pooling in the red and grey orbs. "But you've made me change; you've made me wish, made me plan, made me… Love," the prince gasped audibly and his lips began to tremble. "And I never thought I would do any of those things; you see, I'm a killer Iruka. A simple, disposable killer and I don't deserve you- but I'm going to have you none-the-less. Because for once I feel like if I don't have you I don't have anything,"

Kakashi leaned forward and captured the princes trembling lips in a soft kiss; Iruka stopped shaking as he felt lips pressed to his for the first time.

* * *

**Next time: **Iruka has to think things through; and Orochimaru has a gift for his prince.


	5. Chapter 5

_**VERY IMPORTANT: **_as I said in the re-uploaded chapter 3 (don't worry about reading it, I was just correcting errors) I had a lot of people saying this was cliché, and then I was attacked by a new plot idea; so I'm changing each chapter one by one and may take a few more days to get them up than normal (but it will probably be unnoticeable).

Thanks for reading and reviewing and everything! I _really, really, really,_ appreciate it!

* * *

Iruka paced his room with anger he had never felt before; the man had kissed him. Kissed him! He wasn't sure if he should throw a tantrum or squeal with happiness. He felt light; as though walking on clouds, but his heart felt heavy and weighed him to the floor. He had run away as soon as Kakashi moved back; his eyes connected with the knights and he didn't like what he saw, he saw truth and determination. Why did this man think he could actually change the rules of being a prince? Especially during war! Iruka couldn't be associated with someone who had such disrespect for his role as future leader; soon, Orochimaru would find out and then hell would break loose. His first kiss! Although, when he thought about it the situation was very romantic… better than he could have ever hoped for…

NO! Kakashi was here for one sole purpose. He would go out to fight leaving Iruka alone to deal with the snake-like king and then would either die fighting or return to his own country. That's what he was brought here to do and Orochimaru wasn't going to let him stay here any longer than necessary, they hardly got along! He couldn't win in this situation; Kakashi wasn't going to give up either; so now he would have to avoid him. He cursed himself for letting something as huge a kiss happen; as sweet of a kiss as it was.

His attention fluttered to the dreams he always had to the man above him. The kiss was far better than that of his dreams; his lips warmer and slightly chapped; his fingers calloused like the warrior he was.

Soon Iruka found himself curled into a ball on his new bed sheets. The horrible puce blankets were rubbing against him again and he cried as he thought of how the only reason the maids wouldn't change his sheets to something else was because they matched the curtains in his room.

* * *

The next morning at breakfast Kakashi couldn't deny he had a spring in his step. So what the man had run away from him; he still got as kiss! Sweet and untouched lips against his own; he even felt as little bit of a whimper when he pulled back… before the man ran off, off course. He sat in his usual place and frowned when he saw that his favourite dolphin wasn't opposite him. He already missed the man's tight ponytail that looked far better down; as he had seen it when he snooped in Iruka's bedroom window at night, and his molten-chocolate eyes, watching him everywhere and off course his rosy cheeks that had an almost constant blush around him...

He held a laugh at the display Naruto and Sasuke were making. "Ehem, Naruto, where's Iruka?"

Naruto scowled down at his raven-haired lover who held on to his waist like a lifeline and looked at Orochimaru as though the man was the scum of the earth. Obviously the man's shameless pursuing of the young Uchiha had yet to let up. "I don't know – OH! Sasuke! - sleeping in?" he continued to pry the Uchiha from his waist but found his efforts were in vain when Sasuke simply latched onto his neck with his mouth and proceeded to leave an array of love bites around the young king's neck. Orochimaru looked over in distaste.

"He's ill, Kakashi sir," Orochimaru offered and smirked as he saw Sasuke flinch at the sound of his voice. The elder Uchiha laughed at his brothers antics but couldn't deny the fact he hated the way the man looked at his brother. He wasn't letting up despite the young couple's _extreme _hints about the seriousness of their relationship.

"Oh…" he seemed fine yesterday, he mused. He was sure he wasn't ill, so where could Iruka have suddenly contracted this illness? He was a bit warm yesterday… probably the blushes though.

Then it clicked in his mind; why would Iruka avoid him? He understood the kiss was… unexpected, but surely Iruka must have known Kakashi had an obvious liking to him? Kakashi pondered over it for a moment before deciding he could allow the man time to think, what harm was waiting a day or two?

He pulled his book from his pocket and started reading.

* * *

Iruka sat in bed, unable to move due to a numbing feeling spreading through his body; he tried to move his fingers but felt like they weren't doing anything. He moved his head on his pillow; 3 or 4 were propping his head up and keeping him from emptying the contents of his already hollow stomach.

He saw his finger moving, but unfortunately so did yellow eyes at his bedside.

"Iruka, do you know why you are here child?"

He made the mistake of trying to shake his head and had to close his eyes _tight _to stop his room spinning.

"N-no, y-your majesty,"

The snake-king smirked, his skin looking as though it would crack and eyes glistening with mirth at seeing such a thing of his bed ridden. "I had put something in your breakfast that will stop you from seeing that man,"

Iruka's eyes opened slowly to reveal a swirling pool of chocolate; cursed with worry and slight anger. Had the king seen them? He could argue that the knight kissed him, but it was hardly going to get him anywhere considering he was the one being punished already.

"Y-you majesty, what have w-we done?"

Orochimaru let out a sound similar to a hiss, and continued, hands placed elegantly in his lap. "You have been in rather a mood lately, no such thing would have occurred without that man's assistance,"

Iruka's eyebrow twitched; assistance? What was "assistance" supposed to mean? Swirling anger and fire collected in Iruka's mouth as he countered Orochimaru's argument without thought; "And why exactly are you implying?"

Orochimaru stood from his chair; body trembling from the force it was suddenly put under and a few stands of coarse black hair stuck to the purple silk of the chair brought in and seated next to Iruka's bed.

"I am implying that you should not be taken as a knight's toy, and where has this temper erupted from? You are a prince, you must hold yourself and respect those around you; especially your king!"

He lifted a glass of water next to him; it sloshing over the side as he shook and held it over the prince's head.

Iruka felt a waterfall around him as water splashed and slapped around his hair and shoulders, soaking him and decreasing his temperature until his shook with the cold. His pride was wounded from the sadistic move; but he would much rather that than another punishment. The king looked down on the soaked man and laughed; a cold, echoing cackle that attacked the nerves in Iruka's cold body and caused further shivers.

"The mixture in your breakfast will keep you ill for seven days; you shall not have food or water until the third day, and then only bread for the rest of the four. And you shall think upon your actions."

-000-

A week passed and Kakashi saw nothing of Iruka. The man was always "ill" and had to be "quarantined" from the kingdom to "Protect the nobles and knights health" as Orochimaru quoted. He smirked at Kakashi's scowl that was obvious through his mask. "And my own health of course, that's always _important _to Iruka." He spoke in a slow, patronizing voice. He really was a _foul _man Kakashi decided. Kakashi continued to train his army, although he was often late because he waited and absently hoped the prince would pass him in their special place where he had kissed the man only seven days ago. He often stared at the tree Sasuke and Narutos drawings were on and wandered if he should do that himself; perhaps with "Dolphin and scarecrow" so that they wouldn't suss out that it was them who were together; but he knew if Iruka saw it he would have some form of breakdown.

But by the end of the seventh day, his patience wore thin. What was wrong with him? He was respectable, and could provide the prince with everything he needed; he was educated, he loved the man! And he knew the prince loved him. It was obvious; even Naruto had made an observation about the man's blush! And Naruto was oblivious. The man was just stuck behind Orochimaru's invisible wall and couldn't find a way to break through; he just had to ask and Kakashi would smash it down for him.

Shikamaru, Chouji, Neji, Asuma, Kurenai, Sakura, Shikamaru and Ino sat in one of the sitting rooms in the castle, conversing amongst themselves about trivial things. There were many soft sofas in the room, but they all sat on the floor with each other in a small circle.

Chouji sat near Shikamaru and Ino near him. The three friends sat in their usual stances; Shika lazily slumped over and Chouji fiddling with his hands and thinking of the feast they would have that night. Ino talked about something with Sakura and Neji sat quietly. Kurenai and Asuma sat next to each other as always; Asuma slouched and Kurenai gracefully sat on her knees, her legs folded underneath her.

"Do any of you know what's wrong with Kakashi?" Kurenai asked the group; drawing their attention.

"No," a chorus echoed, Neji and Shikamaru remained quiet. Asuma raised his eyebrows at his former student and considered yanking the boy's ponytail to wake him up.

"Really Shika?" he said in a warning tone and the young boy sighed to himself; guess he has to answer.

"OK, so I think they had an argument because Kakashi probably did something he shouldn't have," he rushed out; falling back onto the floor and laying down afterword's as if it had worn him out to say so much, "Happy?"

"Did Kakashi act on his feelings?" Ino asked; gasping and waving her hands in excitement at new gossip. Sakura made an unreadable face at the idea of Kakashi and Iruka _"Acting on their feelings,"_

Asuma sat smugly and smirked at Shikamaru as the group began to discuss the issue in hand.

-000-

A maid entered his room with a solemn look; sneering at him as they often did. She wore a brown dress as most maids did and had her hair in a tight bun; her wrinkles stretching with the force her hair was tugged at. He unconsciously touched his own ponytail, just to see how tight it was.

"His majesty wishes for your presence in the second sitting room, prince," she stated in a bored voice before looking at his bed sheets with a sorrowful look. "I guess I shall have to clean these."

"b-but his majesty knows I am ill,"

She raised her eyebrows in an expectant way and he tried to lift himself from bed.

As Iruka walked to Orochimaru, he felt heavier. His heart, mind and the fur on his shoulders weighed him down. His stomach was playing around and he just wanted to hunch over a bucket. He wore the fur so that Orochimaru wouldn't be so disappointed when he turned up pasty-skinned and dead-eyed, but he thought that he would look more like the king now. He viscously scolded himself in his head to clear the thoughts; this man provided him with a life of luxury, and he was insulting him?

He reached the second sitting room, Orochimaru's favourite room because he could observe the battle grounds from one window and the gardens from another (so to keep an eye on both Kakashi and Iruka at the same time)and the last two walls covered with scrolls on battle techniques and his favourite wallpaper, it sat with him well.

"Iruka my child, take a seat," Orochimaru called from his chair near the window overlooking the battlegrounds; facing the door. Another two-seat sofa faced the window and Iruka noticed a few spikes of inky black hair poking from it. At first he thought Orochimaru had cornered Sasuke into the room and forced him to sit; but the boy was too strong willed to give in to that, and then he thought it was Shikamaru, but the boy's hair wasn't that dark.

"Hello prince Iruka!" a familiar, _female_, voice called. He saw the face of the woman as he turned to corner of the chair and was met with Anko. He internally cursed his luck and sat next to the woman. She thrust her painted hand into his face as soon as he was seated; and he awkwardly kissed it as always.

"I hoped you two would grow close, Anko hopes to paint your nails,"

"N-no thank-you your majesty, or Lady Anko, I'm quite ill and I'm afraid it isn't my-"

"Iruka, a lady is offering you a token of friendship, something you haven't encountered in a while," The two ravens laughed with each other for a moment, before Anko presented a blueberry-coloured varnish from her small, beige clutch and flashed it to Orochimaru; obviously hoping for approval.

"Ahh, royal blue, fine choice Lady Anko,"

"Thank-you, your majesty," Anko said, winking and holding her hand out expectantly for Iruka to take. He placed his shaking, golden hand against her pale skin and admired the contrast; it reminded him of Kakashi's skin and he found himself dreaming of how well their bodies contrasted and clashed; while the smell of alcohol from the varnish assaulted his senses.

And so Iruka sat for several minutes watching as the two shamelessly flirted with one another; only answering direct questions. His stomach lurched and moved uncomfortably within himself as his illness took tumbles and turns.

After said several minutes of waiting for the polish on his hands to dry; he emptied his stomach's contents on Orochimaru's feet.

-000-

Meanwhile, Kakashi threw another pillow at his wall; he wasn't sure what he was achieving, it didn't even feel that good. He looked over at his bare bed and decided to start making it, he thought that might occupy him.

Soon enough his –still brown- bed sheets were made as though a professional had spent hours on it. He looked around his room and noticed the rest of it was pretty messy compared to the bed now. He absently scratched his nose through his mask and set to work clearing up his scattered scrolls and mismatched cloths that had been discarded everywhere. He even lined up his books in order of volume.

As he glanced upon his room once more he deflated his lungs and realised he had nothing to do. He felt a feeling of dissatisfaction when he usually felt the opposite after so many hours of cleaning. He briefly wandered if he would forever feel this way until Iruka came too and decided he would take him as his lover; would he forever feel like he was this incomplete? Even if he achieved every life goal he had ever had? Maybe he would be one of those men who have everything they want but not what they need… but he knew better then to dwell on the impossible and brushed it off.

His mind was drawn back to it immediately as he struggled to find something to do.

He went out to train; hoping Sasuke or Naruto would be up for some stress-relieving spar matches.

After training at around 6:00pm in the warm summer sun, he made a choice.

Kakashi stormed his way through the castle; not even reading his book as he made a quick journey to Iruka's bedroom. He stood outside the large wooden door for a moment to collect his thoughts, but found he grew more and more angry with each passing microsecond.

Iruka walked around his room absently. He had ran out of time to come up with a reason for his behaviour that Orochimaru would not have him lashed for; he could not say he was having feelings for the knight, since that would end in his back being torn apart by whips.

Nothing would work; however the silver haired man still consumed his thoughts. Why did he ever let this happen? Why couldn't he have just ignored the man like he should have and carried on doing what he always did? Being… he sighed, being miserable and alone; with Kakashi, he could be with someone and have someone to hold and talk to; to back him up when maids scrutinized him.

He brought out feeling in him he didn't like, and hadn't felt in years or even ever. Mischief; he felt a thrill having a secret from court. Happiness, something he hadn't felt since he was a child, but he could feel a tinge of sadness whenever he thought of the way Orochimaru would react to his and Kakashi's relationship and whenever he thought of the fact Kakashi would inevitably leave him. Belonging; yet at the same time feelings of being and outsider; he had known he didn't fit in around the castle, but Kakashi and Naruto and the other knights made him feel even more welcome at their home than his; and he had never even been to their kingdoms before. Realisation, he realised that the misery had always been there. And as much as it pained him to feel it; he knew he had fallen in love and damn it all if he didn't feel like kissing the man again.

His door flew open revealing the subject of his thoughts and he wasn't sure if he should run away or carry on pacing. He unconsciously froze and looked at the man as he closed the door behind him with a slam. He had worked up a temper as he waited behind the man's door; realising he didn't understand anymore.

"What the hell is your problem…"Kakashi trailed off; eyes softening at the man in front of him. Iruka wore a loose, rag-like shirt that was off-white and the strings that should have been tied around his neck hung loose around the man's chest. It barely covered his legs as he stiffened.

The prince froze uncontrollably, his eyes darted uncomfortable between himself and the knight; realising how scrawny he must have looked since he hadn't eaten properly all week. Kakashi looked upon him in mortification, the man's tanned skin had once been delightfully sun kissed and flawless and now held a murky pale with a slightly grey undertone. His hair hung limp around his shoulders instead of spiked and in a high pony tail; beautiful and fiery brown eyes dull and worn.

"W-w-what's the matter?" the prince asked nervously, mouth shaking and words coming out in a gloop of syllables and stutters. The silver knight walked into the room more fully, dropping his rage like an overcoat and walking through the room slowly, allowing the door to shift closed in the slight summer breeze.

"You look ill,"

"That's because I am ill moron!" Iruka threw his hands in the air in an exasperated motion; his hands flying around and then landing with a slap against his bare thighs. He blushed uncontrollably as he realised his legs were on show; not that the silver-haired man cared in any way, shape, or form.

"I thought that was a lie,"

"Why would I lie about something like this!"

"…Don't know, I kissed you?"

Iruka's face reddened further; his cheekbones darker and the bags under his eyes becoming less noticeable. He growled even though his appearance didn't depict that of an angry person, and made a futile attempt to pull down the baggy shirt he was wearing.

"Well I didn't ask you too! Now get out!"

"…But I want to be here,"

"So! You have to leave!"

Kakashi raised an elegant and slightly dishevelled brow in question; have to? He _has to _do a lot of things, but leaving such a tempting sight wasn't one of them.

"No, I'm going to stay right here."

"Kakashi! GET OUT!" the prince screamed, his hands still clutching the shirt around him as he threw them down as if to him an imaginary table around his waist. The collar of his shirt moved down a slightly muscled, yet ill-looking shoulder and Iruka saw mismatched eyes wander to it for a moment.

He grew frustrated and dramatically pointed at his door; eyes screwed shut. "NOW!"

"Why?"

Iruka spluttered, why? WHY? He was going to faint from anger in a moment.  
Kakashi smirked under his mask; he was really, really enjoying himself. Iruka looked good angry, he decided, with his brown hair flying around his red, sweaty face and rapidly rising and falling chest.

"You just have to!" the prince sobbed, growing flustered in the worry someone would walk past, he tried to stand his ground; the man would think he was weak if he suddenly slapped and the last thing he wanted was for someone to see him in tears with the knight in his room. He slammed his feet on the floor as he stomped to his bed, "you must leave now Kakashi sir." As he was about to sit onto his bed he found himself surrounded by warmth; encased in a heat he was not familiar with. Kakashi held the shorter man closer to him as though he meant for the man to merge into his own body; resting his head on the man's own. He didn't whisper comforting words like he should have as he rocked them slightly and allowed the man to calm himself, but he didn't know how. Iruka was saddened by this a little, but didn't really know what he was missing.

"I want to stay here, thanks for the offer though," he hushed in the calmest tone he could muster when holding the only man he had ever loved so close; he felt stirring in his stomach and had to fight of the growing bulge in his trousers; suddenly aware of the prince's proximity.

It would do no good scaring the prince with something like that while he was so vulnerable. Although, he thought, the prince was snuggling very close to him. His small tanned hands were gripping at his shirt as though it were a lifeline; brushing against his nipples and Kakashi silently prayed they weren't erect.

When he deemed the man suitably mellow, and had felt his hands squeeze; accidently massaging his chest, he held a tanned chin with his right hand and brought a scarred face up to meet his; he pulled his mask down with his left hand and cupped the man's other cheek; stroking the soft caramel skin with his thumb.

He softly lay his lips on Iruka's own in a chaste kiss and felt a wonderful light feeling in his stomach when Iruka kissed back. They moved their lips together slowly; Kakashi thought of using his tongue but discarded the idea when he noticed how shy the man was moving against him; how sensitive his mouth was without any addition of tongue, he felt himself float as Iruka tried to pull his lips through his own full ones; life couldn't get any better.

-000-

"Iruka," a booming, old and dark voice called from the corridor. Kakashi didn't release the man from his hold; nor removed his lips. However the brunette had other ideas and started to squirm like a fish out for water. "What do you think you are doing?" Fear rushed through the prince like blood, poisoning his rational thoughts and providing only the same warning sentence over and over again.

_Orochimaru has caught you._

There was a gust of wind and then Kakashi found his arms empty; his mask was already pulled up when he turned and saw the prince spread across the floor unconscious. His brown hair tumbled in all directions and a purple mark across his forehead in the shape of knuckles.

"Bastard king!" he shouted without much thought, moving to kneel next to the prince before he two was struck with a frail fist. He managed to dodge, he was an elite fighter after all, and swiftly swept his legs under Orochimaru's own ones as a reflex and catching the tumbling king as he fell; landing with the king held in arms with his front to the snakes back; it squirmed as he roughly shoved his arm around Orochimaru's neck to hold his still.

"Let go of me this instant! I shall have you killed!" the king shouted, helplessly trying to find his footing but his legs were bunt underneath him so he couldn't bring them up again without damaging his fragile knee's.

Kakashi only tightened his hold and looked upon the unconscious body of Iruka; the man was breathing, which was a good sign at least.

"You will leave this room, and no one, I repeat," he tightened his arm around the snakes throat until it whimpered. It made him give a sinister smile under the black fabric of his mask; knowing the king was so weak. "That no one, will know of this, _understand?"_

"I will _not _let you lay your dirtied hands on my prince!"

He couldn't tighten his hold without breaking the kings neck; so he moved his mask-covered mouth to the man's hair covered ear, allowing his breath to ghost over it in a menacing and patronising way as the king had done to Iruka many times, "Like you could stop me,"

* * *

Iruka awoke in bed the next morning; head aching and throbbing from the hit he couldn't remember. He turned his head and found a glass of water on his bedside table and a note that looked as though it had been written by someone who was shaking. It was Kakashi's writing, he recognised;

_You got his on the head, don't move around too much, drink and eat and stuff. _He smiled, Kakashi really had no clue; but it made him feel fuzzy anyway. He looked at the bottom of the page and saw several 'x' marks he knew to be kisses and his face heated up. Dear god, he was blushing at a note.

He had it bad.

-000-

Kakashi wasn't in his best mood after the night's events; he was on time every morning to training and it made Naruto worry far more than it should have; even Sasuke and Itachi seemed slightly shocked when they saw the knight arriving without his book, on time. Half his army were shaking as he slammed a large shield onto the floor and screamed at them to "Bulk up and be men" and told them how battle was "Harder than beating Shikamaru at shogi, which is impossible,"

Shika was silently happy to be recognised as a shogi champion in front of so many men; but the rest of the teens knew that Kakashi was basically saying they were all toast.

His army's progress heightened in those 3 days however and they were actually getting somewhere with the archery and sword fighting.

He divided them into two teams; archers and close combat, and sure enough they picked up their chosen trades pretty quick; especially since Kakashi's anger seemed to increase with every passing hour.

He sparred with his army to relieve said anger and many had to be taken away by the nurses because he got carried away. He looked over at the seat that Iruka normally sat at and saw yellow eyes and a snake-skin crown; he felt like gagging. He turned to the tree the prince sat at sometimes and was met by an empty sight, but still better than the former. He felt the golden eyes watching him. This man was the only reason he and Iruka could not be with one another; he had raised the beautiful boy to hate himself and lose any sense of confidence he could have earned. He had raised a man to fit the shoes of a prince; but the shoes were far too small for him in the first place. Iruka was better than a prince; Kakashi could easily compare him to a god, golden-skinned and light-hearted, how could anyone ever lay their hands on Iruka in any other way than to make him feel good?

* * *

Iruka heard a shy knocking on his door as he lay in his bed. A variety of fruits surrounding him as he absently read a book; the words were a little fuzzy sometimes from his head wound but he easily dismissed it.

"Come in," he sub-consciously called, thinking it to be a maid of some sort.

"Hello Dolphy!" a deep voice called, a mop of silver hair erupted in front of him and a door slammed. Two fingers in a peace sign were held up as the knight introduced himself to the prince's room. Iruka dead-panned over his book, the knight was calling him what?

"May I help you?"

"Yes, very much so,"

"…Really, what is it Kakashi?"

"May I have another kiss?"

Iruka spluttered for the second time in goodness knows how long; face reddening at the blunt implications of Kakashi's sentence. Kakashi wouldn't admit it, but his anger ebbed away when he thought of all the sweet kisses he and the prince shared and did admit, to himself, that he wouldn't mind squeezing a few more out before Orochimaru had him assassinated or something along those lines.

"What! No you cannot!"

"You don't mean that Dolphy,"

"Stop calling me that!"

"Why? Wait, we've had this discussion,"

"Kakashi!"

The knight crawled over the bed in a shameless display of lust; briefly noting how Iruka's sheets were brown, obviously the maids were cleaning them or something. His hands making their way to Iruka's frame before his body lay above it, the blushing prince shuddering and blushing a thousand reds as Kakashi hovered over him held up by only his arm; the other moving his mask down.

"Someone will see!"

"Ahh, so no other protests then? And I locked the door."

Iruka glanced over to the door knowing Kakashi couldn't possibly have locked- oh, well look at that.

He went to turn his head back but was shocked from his actions as lips connected with his neck. It was a mere tap of lips against his skin but he couldn't find the words to shoo Kakashi away any more. The lips continued to press against his neck and his eyes fluttered shut; the mouth opened slightly with each press against his caramel skin and soon he felt a tongue touch his sweating skin.

He felt whimpers escaping his lips more than heard them; uncontrollable mewls and shakes throughout him as the body above him lowered onto his completely, sitting comfortable between his legs.

Kakashi lifted himself onto his knees, happily sitting between golden –naked- thighs and admiring Iruka's naked lower half. The prince blushed as he opened his eyes, remembering that he hadn't worn bottoms to bed.

"Kakashi stop it!" he delivered a swift thump to the side of the knights head that Kakashi actually didn't doge; it took the knight a moment to realise the man had actually landed a hit that thousands had failed to do. He shrugged it off easily and threw his shirt over his head; determined feel Iruka's flesh against his.

-000-

They rolled on the bed until a very nude Iruka was seated above an equally unclothed Kakashi; lying against the knight as his mouth was ravished. Kakashi's tongue played with his own inexperienced one in their mouths and a large hand held his head still. Kakashi noted how Iruka seemed to be pulling back from the kiss constantly and slow applied more pressure to his hand and flexed his fingers into Iruka's hair.

The man whimpered, and tried further to pull back until Kakashi simply rolled them; pushing Iruka's head into the pillow with his kiss.

Soon they were moaning together as their nude bodies rubbed and caressed; not as slow as Iruka would have hoped for his first time, but he didn't know if this was rough or not.

Iruka felt an unfamiliar prodding of fingers at his bare entrance by a hand Kakashi had snaked between them; his own gripping shoulders a though they were life-lines.

The knight detached his mouth from the others; watching in awe as the prince gasped for air. He took Iruka's hands in his own carefully and placed them on the sheets above the pillows; giving them a shove and watching the prince's eyebrows furrow in confusion. He pressed them once more before trailing his hand down arms and to a small waist. A silent message was received; _these stay here. _

-000-

Iruka moaned softly as two fingers moved within him; he tried hard not to force them out, but couldn't get accustomed fast enough before they touched something within him. He clenched uncomfortably as pleasure raced around him and felt pain race through him as his raw entrance was pressed harder against the fingers. Kakashi misinterpreted this as pleasure and hit the place several times; the man writing beautifully underneath him.

A third was moved in; not forced in however, and Kakashi felt the tight muscles of Iruka convulse around him. He moaned as he thought of the burning heat surround him and unconsciously thrust against the brunette, making the bed sway.

Iruka was red from his cheeks to his shoulders; his knee's curled inwards as unfamiliar sensations rolled through him and his hands gripped the sheets above him as he tried not to grip onto the knight and scream for his help. For release, for pleasure, or for it to stop; he wasn't sure.

He knew he wanted to make love to Kakashi; he was just worried of the king.

His hardness softened slightly as thoughts of the harsh monarchs reaction, if her were to enter now and see them in such a sinful position. Kakashi felt it against his stomach and felt a welling of worry and regret welling in him.

"I'm sorry does it hurt?"

Iruka was shocked by the sudden statement; had his face revealed it? He nodded shyly and let out a slow moan as the fingers bushed his slowly; a dimmer, longer and lesser intense pleasure moving though him in small waves that were far more to his taste.

He smiled softy as Kakashi left small kisses to his lips, almost in a forgiving way.

-000-

As he felt a large shaft entering he barely kept his voice down; Kakashi pushed onwards despite the moans of protest until he was fully sheathed. The tight vice around him Iruka created didn't cease in its grip until several moments later; and by that time Kakashi was gasping for movement.

He thrust shallowly as an experiment to see where it would get him and felt tightening around him. He grunted, but continued to try to move, but was gripped with such force he thought he would break Iruka it half. He continued this routine until the muscles around him were at a bearable force; barely noticing the whimpers erupting from the prince's throat.

He pulled out further this time; snapping his hips back to fill Iruka again and making the brunette gasp in short breaths with each thrust; the bed rocking softly against the wall.

It wasn't slow or fast, but it was enough to have Iruka wandering whether he wanted it to end or _finish. _He didn't know whether the rushes through him were too much or not enough; and he didn't enjoy the lack of control. He whimpered and moaned as a kind of warning unconsciously, but the knight moving above him had his eyes closed and was too encased in his new lover to notice.

Soon the prince saw foggy patches of black in the corners of his vision as the knight delivered faster movements into him; his mind blanked as he erupted with a loud call- of Kakashi's name or of nonsense he wasn't sure. Streams and streams spat across the pairs chests' and Kakashi winced at the sudden _clamp._

As the knight was about to continue, he felt a sudden relaxation of Iruka underneath him. He glanced down and felt something inside of him he though was dormant pang.

The prince gasped in his unconscious state; helplessly limp and hand that were once gripping the pillow hanging loose around the sides of said pillow. As Kakashi looked upon the sight; he softened within his lover. He, like Orochimaru, had cause such a timid man to pass out. He felt like a tyrant; an animal that had ravished some kind of nun or virgin girl for his own pleasure and left them on the side of some street. And what was sad, was that this was Iruka's first time.

Kakashi felt as though he could have killed himself as he glanced at the white fingers of his love; his stomach lurched as he remembered his silent message; _these stay here,_ he remembered; and Iruka had followed his orders despite the obvious overwhelming force Kakashi was pushing onto him.

No one had ever been so loyal, Kakashi thought, as he rolled the unaware man underneath him so he could lay Iruka on his chest.

He didn't mind so much that he didn't get to finish; in fact, in made it that much better that he didn't benefit from causing such a disgusting fate upon the only man he had ever loved.

* * *

**Next time: **the morning after.


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: **Important note at the end! And a quick update, nearly done re-typing!

* * *

Kakashi awoke feeling lighter despite the weight on his chest and burden in his heart; he looked down upon the sleeping beauty laying on-top of him and gave a genuine smile. He ran his fingers through slightly sweaty brown hair and thought of the way it would spread out around his pillow; lay around a scarred face and across his brown sheets when he was making love to Iruka last night. Something he hadn't taken advantage of at the time. He wandered where the hairband had been thrown and looked around the room; briefly noting the sun teasing through the curtains and the discarded clothes in a trail from the door. He should have been less reckless, he noted.

He looked back down upon his lover again; admiring the subtle points of the man's face. He picked up the sleeping man's hand slowly so he could look at the flash of colour he barely noticed the night before; he was met with blue, patchy nails that still held a faint smell of alcohol. He winced at the colour; blue was better suited to Iruka's skin than most, but he would be lying if he said it looked good.

He placed the prince's hand gently onto his chest, beside a tanned face again; looking down the man's form that was wrapped tightly with the brown sheets. He admired the gentle rise and fall of the man's body and the feel of his stomach pressing against his own with more pressure when the man breathed in and remembered how flawlessly golden the skin was.

The thought stirred hardness in Kakashi's groin and he played a show in his head of what he would do if he could ever make love to Iruka again; if the man wasn't repulsed by it. He thought of the communications of subtle pleasure the prince's beautifully expressive face would make; every small whimper and moan that would escape the full pink lips that had never been kissed before Kakashi sealed his own over them.

He shifted slowly so he may lay Iruka on the bed and on his back and sat up on his knees between his lovers spread legs; admiring the sight before him. Iruka truly was naturally beautiful. His legs were long and tanned; flawless except the scars across his ankles that looked as though they came from a cat. Kakashi laughed and wandered if he may ever find a cat as good as Iruka made mischief out as, and if it would get along with his future dogs. He looked upon his lovers hands; tangled together above his head like the night before. He ignored the pang again, and watched the flexing muscles as he breathed deeply in and out. His mouth hung open slightly and small puffs of air escaped them; the moisture apparent on them.

He ran his calloused fingers up afore-mentioned legs and allowed his hands to linger on Iruka's thighs; enjoying the soft skin only he had touched, and would touch. He smiled as his sleeping lover mewled in his sleep, before laughing softly as the brunette stirred and his long lashes fluttered. His amazing chocolate orbs opened and locked onto Kakashi's immediately.

"Good morning dolphin," he said quietly as Iruka absently reached out for his face and sleepily smiled.

"G'morning Kashi," he said with his sleepy smile still intact; fingers stroking the sides of a pale face. He allowed himself to be slowly rolled again and Kakashi laid him onto his chest; he briefly noted something hard poking his thigh and felt his face heat up when he realised what it was.

"Kashi? I like that one," the knight observed aloud, testing his new pet name.

Iruka laughed softly and trailed his hand around Kakashi's shoulder; feeling the muscles around the man's neck and bicep. In a moment of bravery he lifted himself up and looked down upon his lover; straddling him and blushing at the new position.

"Wait, Iruka," the knight said in a serious tone, allowing a frown to stretch his face.

"What is it?" he asked, trying not to look too flustered despite his position.

"Is this… ok?"

"…Ok? Well, yes, it is, what else would it be!"

"I…I don't know, I'm sorry about last night; I'll be better, I promise," the knight said smiling softly as the prince's blush furthered. He didn't realise it would be so easy to fix.

"It's okay Kashi, just… just, um…" he awkwardly avoided the knights eyes, despite the intimate position "be… gentler," Iruka made an embarrassed smile and continued to blush.

Kakashi trailed his hands around Iruka's knees and legs, trying not to leer; taking long moments to admire the expanse of caramel skin that belonged to him now. His hands moved up to Iruka's hip bones; slight red marks from healing bruises from the previous night and the curves subtle but beautiful in the knights eyes; Iruka was not feminine in body, but he was soft and slight enough that Kakashi didn't feel as though he would be fighting for dominance; they worked perfectly together, a submissive and a dominant perfectly tuned to each other's bodies.

His hands travelled around Iruka's back and lay upon his behind; massaging gently yet firmly enough to bring out a whimper from the brunette; Iruka dipped his head so that his blush would not be visible to his lover whose mismatched eyes gazed upon him endlessly, his brown hair falling around his face. He felt Kakashi squeeze his cheeks a last time before he felt a finger enter him from behind; he shuddered, his opening still stretched and slightly sore from the previous night. He whimpered uncontrollably as the finger moved within him and tried to move with it; completely forgetting where he was, his hair falling around his face as his head rolled side to side. He writhed and gasped as the finger became harder in its ministrations before it was joined by another. He threw his head onto Kakashi's shoulder, his body pressing against the knights and his hands trapped between them as he was stretched by long digits; silent screams echoing from his mouth that hung open uncontrollably.

"_Oh…"_

He called softly; a noise that Kakashi had never heard but didn't fail to bring him to reality that he was actually able to do these things whenever he wanted; it made him want to unleash his inner pervert and not care if he scared the man, but the blush around the man's cheek bones reminded him that he was still inexperienced; and he had to do this properly this time.

'_Besides,' _Kakashi thought, '_you have make him more experienced,"_ he laughed internally at the idea; sometimes he was too smart for his own good.

Kakashi knew he would miss this every moment he was away; but he tried not to dwell on it as he whispered sweet nothing's into his lover's ear; calming him and kissing any expanse of shoulder and cheek his lips could reach. He felt his fingers being crushed together and wandered how his love could be so tight after last night; he could barely move his hand, and when he did Iruka's muscled only gripped harder.

"Sit back up Iruka, I want to kiss you," he said softly, a demand non-the-less. Iruka raised himself –still trembling- and gasped as the place inside of him was struck when he moved. He leaned down again slightly, as if to avoid the overwhelming feeling of his body trembling with pleasure but was met when Kakashi rose; sitting completely chest to chest with him.

They kissed for a long moment; Kakashi adding a third finger and using them inside of his dolphin, tongues meeting to touch in slow and gentle caresses in the cavern their joint mouths created; a rhythm they were already learning. Iruka's hands came up to tangle in slightly coarse silver hair and Kakashi's other hand lay on a tanned cheek; stroking away the sweaty strands of stray hair.

They pulled away from the kiss and looked into each other's eyes as Kakashi withdrew his fingers. A tacky, cliché move that worked wonders and made fireworks explode and Kakashi mentally restrain himself. Iruka moved himself; lifting from the bed with his legs and pressing his forehead to the silver-haired knight's and closing his eyes tight. He raised himself onto Kakashi and slid down slowly; feeling a stretch that wasn't quite familiar yet.

Kakashi's eyes fluttered closed as he was encased in a warmth he had only experienced with Iruka; tight walls gripped him from every angle and he fought not to explode; metaphorically and physically. Iruka was a crushing heat; and he fought not to flip the man over and plough into him like a rabid animal. He settled for gently massaging the man's cheek and lower back; hoping to relieve the pressure surrounding his member.

They stayed like that for a moment; Kakashi fully sheathed and Iruka panting above him. He kissed his lovers forehead when the man loosened slightly around him and lay back onto his bed sheets; soaking up the view. He hadn't waited for the relaxing of muscles as long as he should have the night before, and hadn't noticed that Iruka was beautiful like this; more so than usual (something the knight didn't fully believe was possible yet) with his face flushed and mouth red from the kisses they shared; his golden legs spread on either side of Kakashi and head rolling as he tried to hide his face and look at the silver-haired man at the same time.

Iruka looked to him for a moment before shyly raising himself from his position; both men gasping at the feeling. Kakashi felt cool air encircle him before it disappeared and Iruka lowered himself again, a shallow thrust since Iruka was still too nervous to lift Kakashi out further; as thought he was scared he would be left empty, or that the previous night would be repeated.

He took long seconds pulling himself up and lowering back down; rocking slowly as he did this and allowing a place inside of him to be brushed gently with each rising of his hips. Kakashi hoped someday the man would grow used to so much pleasure coursing through him so he could be rougher; but he wouldn't mind making love like this forever either. He writhed under him; trying not to thrust back up too hard so instead grinding and allowing Iruka to move at his own pace. The prince moaned for long moments as he felt this and allowed his head to turn and twist as he accommodated his inevitable climax as it slowly reached him.

They moved together with a steady rhythm and pace that a river has around mountains; slowly learning things about each other words could not express and simple actions could not display.

Kakashi felt the walls surrounding him flex and tighten and Iruka tried to loosen the coil in his stomach; his muscles all tightened, contracting with a vengeance as his climax hit him at full force and he almost wasn't prepared. His vision blurred and he tried to fend off the spots he saw; worried he would pass out. He moaned as his blood pumped and boiled around his body and his vision turned totally white as he shot spurts across Kakashi's stomach.

"_Kashi…_"

The silver-haired knight shook uncontrollably as tight muscles became tighter and Iruka whispered his name in such a personal way; he filled his lover and slowly thrust upwards through his first orgasm inside of Iruka; still surprised he could even last a minute inside of the prince. He let out a slow moan as Iruka fell down onto him in exhaustion.

-000-

Kakashi rolled them carefully so that he did not pull out of his lover; he lay on top of him and breathed in the musky scent his lover had. He placed his head in the crook of Iruka's neck and allowed his eyes to drift shut as small, nimble tanned fingers played with his hair.

"Kashi?" a small, sex-filled voice spoke.

"Yes, dolphin?"

"I… I love you,"

Kakashi smiled as fluffy butterflies swarmed in his stomach; he knew it, and it felt even better hearing it out loud in the man's soft, deep sexy voice.

"I love you too Iruka,"

He sat up gently and kissed his love on his forehead; trailing his lips along his tanned cheek, down to his neck where he nibbled and sucked with more force and then further to his shoulder, then back up to his chin and finally lips.

He captured the plump lip in his own gently and pried them apart; meeting Iruka's tongue halfway in a lazy kiss, still soaking in the afterglow of their second time together, or first depending on the one's opinions.

"Hey dolphin?"

"Yes,"

"Why are your sheets brown today?"

"…Seriously?"

-000-

They lay in bed the entire day and through the following night; Kakashi only left once to get food and to tell Asuma he wouldn't be around for a day or two; and asking him to think of a reason. He didn't care to listen and simply thanked his friend before dashing off and collecting bread and strawberries for his lover to eat.

They made love once, twice, three times in the day alone; becoming closer and learning more about one another than words could say. They kissed for long hours and spoke for even longer ones; before falling asleep at 2 o'clock in the morning midsentence.

* * *

The next week passed slowly; not that Kakashi could ever mind. The tree's bloomed and the temperature rose as summer reached its climax. Although Iruka never cared for the season; he didn't mind so much that the flowers in the garden started to smell; he discussed with Kakashi where he would have lay out things and which flowers worked best with each other. He knew the man didn't care for flowers but was honoured he listened anyway.

Iruka learned that Kakashi had trained Sasuke, Naruto and Sakura before Sakura left to pursue medicine and Sasuke left to find his brother. He convinced the man it was not his fault that the young Uchiha left even though Kakashi had not expressed any guilt, but could tell from subtle curving of eyebrows and blinking of mismatched eyes that the responsibility and self-blame was there. He placed a soft, shy kiss on the man's masked cheek, and although Kakashi didn't say so, it did help.

They couldn't spend long days together like Sasuke and Naruto, Asuma and Kurenai and many others, even simple friends, did; because Kakashi could no longer afford to bargain his life with Orochimaru.

He sat, calmly as possible when in the presence of a poisonous viper of some sorts wrapped around the arms of an equally snake-like creature. The elder-man's body hobbled towards him as he sat on a log he had been training with prior to the king's visit; before a nervous looking servant told him to greet the man, that is. Orochimaru wandered over to him and –as gracefully as someone of his _condition _could- sat onto the wooden tree. Several guards and servants gasped at such reckless actions; splinters could be acquired in the royal fingers!

Kakashi resisted flinching away from the snake hovering near him; the extremely large, green-black python with an amethyst-like sheen. Its golden eyes watched him as it swayed side to side; sizing him up.

"Morelia amethistina kinghorni." Orochimaru spoke, adjusting the heavy snake so that it did not way down his frail shoulders nor crush his brittle ribs.

"I'm sorry?"

"I'm sorry, _your majesty_," Kakashi resisted scoffing; keeping his bored eyes still, focussed on the suddenly interesting blades of grass of the training field. "And, that is my dear snake here; Australian Scrub Python, quite beautiful isn't she?"

"In a way, yes,"

"Yes _your majesty, _I'm beginning to start feeling offended sir Kakashi."

"Sorry your highness." Kakashi nearly laughed at his own antics; of course, Orochimaru didn't find it funny in any way and shooed away the guards absently with his hand; a small, almost blue-skinned hand slicking elegantly. The elder king heard more than felt bones click; but ignored it as he often did.

"Imported, not many people like her but she really is the kindest of creatures,"

"How intriguing your highness,"

"Also, I've come to thank-you, sir Kakashi,"

"What-ever for, your highness?"

"For finally leaving my dear Iruka alone; it is obvious that the two of you have moved on, I knew you would grow bored as many have; Iruka is not the most of interesting creatures and tends to repel most after time,"

Kakashi eyebrows visibly rose at the monarch's nerve; how could he freely insult such a man to someone, while the man was nowhere near them? This was what women did with each other when their husbands did something they didn't like. He decided against murdering the king and played along, silently plotting with a genius mind how to ruin the king's cocky aura.

"Forgive me, your highness, but if you are training Iruka to be a king; then why would you openly admit the faults you have _failed _to fix?" he didn't like himself for bad-mouthing the prince in such a way, but it was the best tactic for the king's embarrassment.

He laughed to himself as Orochimaru stood as abruptly as the man could and walked away. Kakashi's keen eye spotted a limp, and briefly remembered Iruka's own limp that was far more attractive than the elder king's.

Once, he tried to point it out when Iruka clambered from his bed.

"Awww your limp is so cute Dolphy!" he called in a sing song voice and bunched up his face much like women did when they saw a kitten or a baby.

"Shut up or I'll give you a limp!"

It was one of the first times the prince had so bluntly corrected him, and he had to admit he enjoyed it. He stood soon after and decided to interrupt Iruka's bath, because he was allowed.

-000-

The had sex only a few times in the week; the bed was visibly dipping from have such strain on it even though they were not so rough as they were the first night; Kakashi guessed Orochimaru did not spend as much money on them as he bragged. And yet no one knew, Kakashi's army increased in strength and Iruka continued with his noble meetings. Although he preferred to watch Kakashi training his army from his chair, or behind the tree. The other group's armies increased in talent also, Iruka often watched Temari train her army; she had a very remarkable mind, a talent for fighting. She excelled also and was competing with Kakashi's army; despite how Kakashi men were like toothpicks compared to hers.

Iruka became bolder with his and Kakashi's relationship and had gained a cheeky side, something Kakashi only loved him more for. He was even becoming bold enough to link legs under the dining table with the knight; something again, that Kakashi loved him even more for.

"Hey Iruka?" Kakashi called from his position lying on the slightly dry grass in their clearing; eyes shut and mask on. He had managed to wrestle the brunette into their clearing after discovering he had quite a temper when his bath was interrupted; if the knights aching muscles from the jog away from the fuming prince who shouted about "personal time" was any indication.

"What?" Iruka answered from his own position sat on one of the large tree roots; looking out onto the lake.

"You know you love me?"

"…yes?"

"That's all,"

"…You're so annoying."

A few minutes passed, before Kakashi spoke again.

"Hey Iruka?"

"Yes." the prince growled, growing annoyed. Kakashi didn't mind; Iruka was sexy when he was angry at him, and his muscles didn't ache anymore so he could run for hours.

"You know you love me?"

"Yes."

"That's all,"

Kakashi watched in slight awe as the man's face reddened; although for once, not from his bashful tendencies.

"hey Iruka?"

"What!"

"You know-"

"ARGH! You annoying idiot!"

For the next five minutes Kakashi ran around the clearing like a child ran from their elder sibling; laughing and easily dodging the prince's attempts to strangle him.

As they lay exhausted on the ground after the running, Kakashi sat up and Iruka followed. They sat observing the lake, hands slowly creeping to link fingers and bodies moving closer together. Iruka tried to remain angry; but along with most things, it melted away in the knight's presence.

They heard a rustle of bushes and thought it was a rabbit; they did not see a flash of dirty blonde hair, nor the dark green eyes observing their exchange.

-000-

Orochimaru still chased after Sasuke even on the seventh day and it was becoming quite pathetic. Itachi had ran out of creative excuses as to why the king and his lover where not eating in the dining hall; and so simply said "Where do you think they are?"

Lee and Gaara seemed to be forging some kind of friendship; mostly consisting of lee talking and Gaara nodding. Iruka enjoyed watching at dinner times as the anti-social Gaara made awkward exchanges with Naruto and the bowl-cut sporting duo. It reminded him of his own Kashi, and how awkward the man was. A lot of servants didn't know how to address the silver-haired man; often starting a sentence, ending abruptly when they thought the man was not listening due to the presence of his book and then asking clumsily for attention, ending speeches with "Kakashi," and then awkwardly searching the small expanse of the man's face for if the title of a knight should be used. They often added "…sir?" clumsily and gracelessly on the end for good measure.  
He watched on as Temari and the young Nara shared their constant stream of arguments that always ended with Shika calling her "Troublesome," and falling to sleep on the nearest flat surface. Surprisingly, his army was rated highest for strategy on the chalkboard in the weapons room still.

Jiraiya and Kakashi were openly discussing literature; apparently the white haired man was the author of the books Kakashi was reading, something Iruka didn't know. He sat playing with Kakashi's feet with his own under the table, before they both froze when the blonde felt the need to scream, very loud causing Iruka to jump from his sensitive ears, something that the prince didn't know.

"Yeah! PORN BOOKS!" Naruto called from his usual place (when he managed to drag the youngest Uchiha to dinner) surprising Iruka and apparently Kankuro; if him choking on the water he was currently drinking was anything. "I read them once, it was horrible! Why would people have sex like that?"

"That's not what you said last night." Sasuke offered, holding his smirk back.

"Don't listen to them Iruka!" the knight called, not caring that the king sat at the table also.

Kakashi spent two days explaining why he hadn't told Iruka of the explicit nature of his books, grovelling for forgiveness -as though he were praying to god for the healing of his family or the forgiving of his sins- and Sasuke nursed a large bruise on his forehead.

"Maybe Orochimaru will kiss it better, teme!"

"Shut it, dobe!"

"I'm sorry, you highness Naruto, I will do what to sir Sasuke?"

-000-

Kakashi fumbled with his and Iruka's linked hands, they lay in bed; his arm around Iruka's shoulder as they lay side by side, fingers intertwined on both sides. His silver hair lay as a mess on Iruka's pillow from a particularly steamy kissing session. They wore no clothes, since the summer made the silk sheets hot.

"What's wrong Kashi?"

"I have no idea what you are talking about."

"Which is why you're doing this," Iruka made a melodramatic show of fiddling with Kakashi's fingers; raising them to the knight's face so he wouldn't miss the show.

"Ok! Ok! Stop!" Kakashi almost laughed, if his body would allow him to do so freely. It took a lot to make him laugh; Iruka always seemed to make his mind forget that though.

"…Well?"

"Oh, right! Well, I, um… I-made-a-plan-for-our-lives," the last few words came out as a cluster of syllables and dim mumbles. With all of the time Iruka had spent with the young blonde king, he could easily decipher the knights scramble.

"Can I see it?" he beamed.

"I wrote it down," Kakashi said bluntly before he pulled it from a small bag under his bed, bringing several other sheets with him accidentally which he lay onto the bed-side table, he handed the piece of paper with the plan on it to his dolphin. Kakashi ran a still-joined hand over each bullet point as he went over each in his own words "after the war so in like a year or so I'll come back and then we buy a little house in japan near Naruto, because I know how much you guys get along, and then we buy a cat and at least 7 dogs."

"At least 7? Okay… what does this say?" Iruka could read it fine, but he wanted to hear his lover speak the words. He looked up and watched Kakashi's face screw up.

"I'm not reading it out loud, this is embarrassing enough," the knight stated, and Iruka could have sworn he went red for a moment. He wasn't as romantic as Iruka had always pictured his first love; telling him what they were going to do together like they did in books, but he supposed Kakashi was doing the best he could. Besides, the man was holding his hands in bed and planning their lives together; even if he was embarrassed by it.

"Ok, this one says get married," Iruka stated. Kakashi nodded slowly, watching as Iruka's face grew a devilish smirk. "What makes you think I want to marry you?"

Kakashi gaped; openly and shamelessly at his love. Where had this sudden flirtatious side come from?

Iruka let himself smile brightly at the idea and his own teasing. Perhaps he and Kakashi could make something happen.

"But you love me!"

"I was joking! You stupid knight,"

"Isn't that an oxymoron?"

Iruka delivered a swift elbow to Kakashi's firm stomach, knowing his own blow wouldn't hurt a fly.

Kakashi doubled over; grasping his stomach and letting out a slow squeak; his stomach flexed uncomfortably as he recovered from the painful blow, he was a knight and the prince had managed to actually hurt him. He let out another whine of sorts as he straightened up; a sudden rush of numbness followed by a sharp stab of pain rung in his gut.

He ignored it as best he could and made a mental note to test Iruka's strength on a tree someday, and looked to see Iruka observing the list carefully and obviously unknowing about his own strength.

"We are _not_ naming any children after your book characters."

"What! But-"

"-No, or I will take them and leave!" Iruka threatened, they laughed together since they knew it would never happen. Kakashi let his face wince a little as he laughed; abdomen still recovering.

"Iruka, will you promise me something?"

"Yes Kashi,"

"If I don't come back-"

Iruka sat up suddenly; bringing Kakashi's hands with him and turning so he may face his lover; the brown sheets slipping from his caramel shoulders.

"Don't Kashi; you'll be fine!"

"I'm just saying Dolphy,"

Iruka smiled at the new nick-name he had acquired somewhere in the week of their relationship. He couldn't bring himself to think of life without Kakashi now; the man was a fixture, a very attractive, funny, caring, desperately-romantic and stupidly permanent fixture.

"Will you promise me something then?"

"O-okay…"

Kakashi let a sad smile pull at the corner of his lip; he ran his eyes across his lover's body once more before speaking his mind.

"Promise you will leave this place,"

Iruka's eyes widened; he was hardly prepared for such a statement; as if he could actually escape such a place alone… without Kakashi…  
he closed his eyes and considered the offer. A life without the knight? In a new place? That would be far more than terrifying… unless he was to go to with Naruto?

"And go where Kakashi?"

"Anywhere; I don't want you near this place, nor within a thousand miles of Orochimaru; do you understand? If I don't come back- or take too long?"

Iruka smiled to himself and moved down slowly to lay his head on Kakashi's chest; intertwining their hands again and allowing one to be pressed against his and Kakashi's chests', Kakashi's own other hand stoking his hair like the knight often enjoyed doing. He loved it when Kakashi got all possessive; it made him feel like he was worth that much, and that the relationship was worth something.

"I promise Kashi, you better not fall in love with any pretty mercenary boys!" he laughed, Kakashi joining him in a deep chuckle before rolling them over so he may lay on top of Iruka; holding their joined hands high above the princes head and using his other to divide the long legs he openly loved so much. He pressed his lips to Iruka's as he pressed a finger into his love; feeling the vibrations of a moan as he expertly moved his finger in a rhythm he and Iruka had adapted over the week they had been with one another.

They rocked against each other as two more fingers accompanied the other; the knight admiring the noises that escaped the younger's full lips as he brushed against him inside and out, staring into the chocolate eyes that clouded over and lay half-mast as the pleasure started building up. He revelled in how tight his lover's internal walls were despite the amount of times they had lay together; but he guessed Iruka was just that perfect, and their bodies were that finely tuned in such a small amount of time.

Kakashi took his lover's dream-like state as an opportunity to push a letter off of his bed-side he had taken accidently with the other sheets; allowing it to float under his bed and continuing with his exploration of his lover's body; but if Iruka were to have turned his head when Kakashi's hands left his waist, he would have seen the letter that would have changed their life.

"Ugghh…Kashi… Mah!"

XXX

The castle seemed darker somehow; its bricked walls dimmer and the faces of the angels that decorated the windows seemed far more solemn than they had ever been; the hallways remained empty as the knights spent their last day in the castle. Iruka wandered aimlessly through the corridors; wandering if he should just kill himself and save depression the trouble of doing it for him.

He held a letter in his hands that had remained forgotten for 2 days under Kakashi's bed before the knight sat him down. He held the prince's hands; kissing them softly as the brunette looked at him with large, innocent brown eyes that still remained happy despite the gloom echoing through the castle. He felt like crying as he explained in as calm a voice he could in the situation; that he and the other knights were being called out to command their armies in the war, in 2 short days.

He held his lover close as the brunette tried not to sob; he told Iruka it was Ok to cry, but the man refused. The inevitable separation had hit the man harder than he had originally intended, he realised, as he looked down at Iruka's stone face and motionless eyes.

He pulled on Kakashi's cloths as though he meant to exchange bodies with the other man; only 48 hours until he couldn't freely hold his lover like this again.

And now here he was, wandering the halls as the knights bid farewell to each other. Kakashi sat in his room, packing alone since Iruka refused to be in the same room as him when his things were not in it; when his books that he tried to get Iruka to read were not propped up opposite the bed, when his clothes were not scattered around the room as though a maid had thrown them from her washing basket, and when his scrolls were not draped over the floor haphazardly after they had moved them so they may make love on the sofa.

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**A/N:** thank-you to the lovely **liqiu03** for their reviews that never fail to make me smile! From a fellow shy-person to another (sorry, I totally stalked you profile… and due to the _nature _of this chapter I may not seem shy, but your reviews have helped my confidence!) I really appreciate the comments! I'm sorry I can't read your own work since I don't watch/read Bleach, but if I could I would! In fact, I think I will anyway when I get the time!

Thank-you to all my other reviewers; really, really thank-you! And **liqiu03**,sorry if you don't like shout-outs, tell me and I can remove it!


	7. Chapter 7 Pt I

**A/N: **this is part one of chapter 7! Hope you enjoy it, I'm really enjoying all of the comments I'm getting!  
And a lot said Iruka was OOC, but that was the point since Orochimaru has ruined him.

* * *

"Iruka child, I trust that you will take care of the castle while I am gone,"

The prince nodded, eyes downcast to the floor as he tried not to hate the closest thing to a father he has had since his own parents died. He remained silent as the knights walked past him one by one, solemn looks on their faces as they made their way to their horses.

"And you will look for a wife, and shall keep this rising temperament to yourself; since it finds no place in you," Orochimaru grabbed his wrist in a harsh grip as he made to nod again; a gasp escaping his throat; his chocolate eyes darted around to find the grand hall empty.

"You are not to falter, do you understand?" the man spoke through clenched teeth; the very image of fear to the prince, who nodded vigorously to dispel any doubts the king had of his loyalty, "And you shall not allow yourself to break; understand?"

He nodded again, remembering the last time he _broke._

-000-

The prince of Konoha was not seen for 3 weeks after the knights departed. Orochimaru had chosen to go with them; to prove to his kingdom he was not a coward despite having taken 2 years to get this far. Iruka watched from his window as the knights departed; thousands of men already starting to walk through the town since it would take so long for them all to move. They all took horses and wagons carrying equipment and food rations, some knights were told to walk alongside the soldiers at the front so that they may be kept in line and Iruka didn't get to his window in time to wave them off. He waved sadly to his lover who rode the grey horse; tears streaming in a steady flow down his cheeks; and he had never been one fore tears. Kakashi felt the piece of his heart Iruka had softened blacken as he rode away from the man, his last image of him was a sad one, and he felt as though he had made him cry.

Jiraiya, Orochimaru and Tsunade rode horses in the front of the army and had left long ago so that they could lead; since they were senior knights, they ruled the entire operation. Kings, despite higher statuses, were not actually in charge of the army formations; more the tactics and money side of things, since it was too "Strenuous for a king to be in the battle room," as Orochimaru had told Naruto. He didn't stop Gaara from entering however, probably due to fear, nor stop Sasuke despite the man's low status.

Sasuke and Naruto rode the same horse despite Orochimaru's protests that it was "unsafe," claiming if it were to be their last battle then they would much prefer to spend their last moments together.

"You would let Sasuke ride on your horse!" the blonde shouted in an accusing tone, meaning far more than what was said, making the king snort at them from his horse as the two embraced each other and then proceeded to run to catch up with his two other senior knights. In all this time he had still not taken Sasuke; it irritated him to his core.

Asuma and Kurenai rode the same horse; confirming Iruka's theory that the two were together. Others such as Shikamaru and Chouji sat on the back of one of the wagons while Tenten, Neji and Itachi walked behind them. The medical girls; Ino and Sakura led a group of medics in the middle of the formation of troops; laughing and pointing at the appearance of many of the towns-people who had come dressed as jesters and knights.

Kiba, his wife, and his family (including the dogs) walked alongside the formations of troops and bickered amongst each other as they often did. Neji behind then rolling his eyes at the family he was now, technically, part of.

And so out of the castle gates they rode; and Iruka's sobs could not be heard over the cheers of the towns-people as they watched the great warriors of the century leave the castle grounds, destined for war.

Kakashi wished he could cry.

* * *

_Iruka stood on his knee's on his bed so that he may kiss Kakashi's mouth, their lips immediately creating a rhythm they were going to have to remember on their own. Kakashi's tongue swept gently across his lover's mouth that opened willingly, their appendages tangling in an erotic dance in their mouths._

_Kakashi undressed them with great care, placing the cloths at the end of the bed as he looked upon his lover's glorious body and tried to memorise every perfection and every curve; the flat, slightly muscled stomach he left open mouthed kisses across, and off course his favourite part of Iruka's body other than his scarred face; his legs. Iruka placed himself against the headboard of the four poster bed and felt the silky pillows on his lower back; Kakashi ran his hands and eyes up the long legs; spreading them gently so he may be seated between them._

_He reached behind him and took his long sleeved, dark blue shirt. He held Iruka's hands with one of his own against the wood of the headboard and kissed the prince so he would distract him; while he tied his hands around some of the small railings that joined the wings of the eagle to wood. As he tightened the fabric, his lover squeaked in confusion against his lips and tongue._

_They kissed for a long while; Iruka forgot about his tied hands several times and yanked at them without thought; hurting his wrists each time and letting out a strangled sob. _

_As Kakashi moved back so he could look upon his lover again. He let his finger trail along Iruka's stomach and locked eyes with his lover. Iruka gave a confused sound and spoke in a small voice "Kashi… wh- what-"_

"_-Shh, trust me Dolphy," he whispered back, voice firmer than Iruka's own. He trailed his hand down to his lover's hardened shaft; taking it gently into his hand for a moment and running his fist over it a few times in a gentle tug; watching his lover writhe underneath him. He moved his hand away and enjoyed the sound of protest as he did so. He kissed along Iruka's chest before moving his lips down slowly; spending long moments on the prince's hipbones as though he could mark them so much they would still be purple when he got home. His tongue moved out of his mouth as he licked a long trail to the inside of Iruka's thigh; enjoying the shivers that went across the man's body and the heat he could feel under his mouth. He almost felt that he would see steam considering how hot Iruka's body felt._

_He trailed his lips along Iruka's too-good-to-cover-up-legs to his prize. He took no time in engulfing his lover's member; and watched in awe as the prince arched off of the bed; letting a yell out as he was surrounded by moist warmth he had never felt before._

_Kakashi relaxed his throat muscles and slid down until he felt small curls tickling his nose._

_The brunette looked down at Kakashi and saw the man's mismatched eyes linked to his as his mouth moved up his length slowly; enjoying the whimpers escaping from his prince's throat. They had never done anything like this before; and Iruka could barely keep form screaming. Kakashi's mouth slid down again slowly and Iruka's fuzzy mind wandered if Kakashi always felt like this when they had sex, but the thought was dispelled quickly and he was surrounded with heat once again._

_Kakashi felt Iruka's member twitch already and pulled of him so he wouldn't erupt into his mouth; a moan of protest coming from Iruka._

_He pressed a finger into his lover as not to dim the flame; then another immediately afterwards, knowing Iruka was used to the sensation now. Sure enough Iruka let him continue with no protest other than a tiny mewl. He took a dark nipple into his mouth as he inserted a third and final finger; moving them slowly as not to cause to much discomfort. He felt moans rumbling through his lover's chest as his tongue flicked across hard flesh several times and then a groan as he rolled the nipple through his teeth and moved over to the other neglected nub; the rush of cool are on his wet skin made Iruka whimper._

_He tugged at his restraints again, whimpering louder that he could not touch his love. Kakashi trailed his hand on any available skin; shoulders, stomach, legs, hips, neck; he especially enjoyed holding his hand softly against Iruka's neck; stroking it gently as he moved his head to suck on the prince's ear. He flicked his tongue across Iruka's tragus and relished in the shiver he felt race up the man's spine._

_He pulled out his fingers as he sucked gently on his lobe; feeling the muscles of Iruka's entrance convulsing and clenching to keep them inside and moaned aloud at the thought of being inside the man again. He shifted so that the tip of his manhood stood at Iruka's quivering entrance and felt that even though Iruka couldn't use his hands; it was nothing like their first time. He pushed in slowly; knowing it often hurt his lover despite the practice they had. He kept pushing despite the moans of protest from Iruka; the man fighting him as he pushed in with some power trying to force past the tight rings of muscles that seemed to always wrap around him like a vice. He pushed, waiting until he was fully sheathed to stop. Laying kisses on his lovers face as he waited; he felt the tight heat moving around him as it adjusted. _

"_Kashi… let me touch you…" Iruka moaned; his response was a quick snap of Kakashi's hips, making him jerk and exhale a shaky breath. "Kashi…" he groaned; tugging at the restraints again. Kakashi ignored him, taking time to feel the warmth around himself before he moved out to the very tip; allowing his love to anticipate something, Iruka was confused however; Kakashi had never done anything like this before, and he felt something in the back of his mind ringing like a warning bell._

"_AAH!"_

_He yelled out louder than he thought was possible as Kakashi shoved himself forward; sending the bed into the wall. Iruka called out again and again as Kakashi became faster; they hadn't made love in any way even close to this; it was more pleasurable than the first time they were together, but not how Iruka liked it. The knight moved within him at a speed he didn't know existed; heat pooled in his stomach before he even felt a third thrust. Darkness fuzzed around the edges of his vision and he cried out in fear at an unfamiliar feeling of not being in control of his consciousness; he considered asking Kakashi to stop but he was too far gone for his mouth and brain to connect coherent sentences. _

"_St-Ahhhh!"_

_Kakashi wasn't faring much better; the speed he thrust at was creating an incredible friction he had never felt before; and as sick as it was, his lover calling for him to stop only made him go harder. Knowing Iruka was feeling so much pleasure that he wanted the knight to stop was forcing heat to pool in his hips as screams reached his ears and the muscles that wrapped around him quivered and squeezed as they tried to accommodate the feeling of being emptied and refilled so quickly; trying to bear with the onslaught of thrusts. A familiar burn situated itself in Kakashi's stomach as he watched his lover twist and arch underneath him; shouting familiar calls of his name._

_Iruka's stomach knotted and his orgasm built and spilt faster than he thought was possible and he came quickly with the shout of the knight's name; Kakashi felt the walls around him tighten as Iruka's back arched and came too; groaning in bliss as every muscle in his body contracted and released leaving him wonderfully sated._

_He barely caught Iruka as he dropped onto the bed; not wanting the man to break his arms from the fall. He shook violently as he held Iruka over the bed with his arms; weakly pulling the man against his chest before nuzzling the silky brown locks with his nose. He tried to hold Iruka as close to him as he could; but felt like he still wasn't close enough. Small sobs escaped the prince's throat, from sadness or pleasure Kakashi wasn't sure. He untied the man and looked down; to see him already falling asleep, breath quick since he was recovering from the most world-shattering orgasm he had received and sobs dimming down to small gasps._

_A familiar sticking sound echoed around the room as he pulled away from his lover and admired the mess on their chests; he pulled a cloth from under his bed and cleaned them slowly as he often did._

_Kakashi looked upon his sleeping lover as he manoeuvred them so that Iruka may sleep on his chest; his hair spreading across the knights pale skin like a tree's branches across the cloudy sky. _

_He slept soundly that night; holding his lover in his arms as he dreamt of what their life would be like if he returned from the battle._

Iruka awoke from the familiar memory of his and Kakashi's last night; shaken by a maid far rougher than he should have been.

"Prince Iruka, it is time for the royal walk through the gardens! Please say you will walk today," she asked, obviously scared since she was probably under strict order from Orochimaru.

"I shall walk today," he replied, his usual timid tone of voice slightly harsh as he lifted himself from the bed; barely registering things as he went through a similar routine he did before the knights came; and he couldn't remember how he felt when they were here, now that they were gone.

* * *

Kakashi sat on a fold-out bed and rubbed his eyes; mask still intact since he couldn't risk his face showing for a second in case word would spread through the army. He wanted to fight; kill these bastard mist demons and get home to his love. But Orochimaru refused to let the knights out of their tents; instead sending the smaller armies. Off course, despite their high rank on the chalk board, Kakashi's army was sent in right after Chouji's and before Asuma's. He was joint first with Guy on the blackboard. He had beaten Itachi, Shikamaru and even Gaara to the top; yet Orochimaru was still sending him in first. He felt as though he was being discarded just because Orochimaru didn't like how he stood up for the timid prince; frankly, Orochimaru wasn't showing himself to be a true ruler.

"Ah, sir Kakashi, I hoped you would be here," the item of his thoughts spoke as he entered the tent; which was actually the planning room and naturally Kakashi was the one who had been "Chosen" to have the desk in his tent. The tents weren't small; they could be stood in and were basically like portable rooms; what annoyed him was that now he had maps all over the place and he always accidently kicked them and ripped them when he woke at night after a loud scream that had managed to echo from the one-mile-away battlefield or the sound of a tree falling in the nearby forest as the armies prepared to be marched into war, and slashed tree's with their swords.

"Orochimaru," he said; deliberately avoiding all of the _"your majesty" _crap, since they were in a war now it's not like he should have to please the man; it was his fault he's not with Iruka. He frowned when he realised that it was Orochimaru's doing that found him Iruka in the first place; but shook it off.

"I have to ask, _Kakashi_, what are your intentions with my Iruka?" Orochimaru said as he strolled into the tent; a strange trail of fabric behind him that seemed to weigh him down; an expensive robe to be wearing in the middle of a bloodbath.

"Your Iruka?"

"Yes, _my Iruka, _I think you'll find I've raised him," the king said in his slow, patronizing voice as though he knew Kakashi would act up against him. He thought he and Orochimaru had discussed this issue several times before.  
"You did not such thing, his parents made him the way he is," He replied as calmly as he could, so that Orochimaru wouldn't get the reaction he wanted. He stood from his seated position and from a crack in the tent he could see Temari stood; she nodded briefly to him, her blond pig-tails shaking in their loose ribbons that she made a mental note to tighten, before placing a single finger over her lips in a sign for Kakashi to stay quiet about her standing there. Kakashi saw in her hands she held paper and a pencil; noting down Orochimaru's words apparently.

"Then tell me, Kakashi, his parents died over 20 years ago, what else have I done other than raise him?"

"You've crushed him."

Orochimaru let out a slow chuckle; golden eyes flashing with mirth and malice, before dimming down into anger. The snake snarled and bared his aged teeth; yellowing from the rich food he indulged in. His serpent tongue raced around chapped lips and he breathed in as though preparing to strike; Kakashi and Temari braced for the information Orochimaru was inevitably going to spill.

"I've shaped him, and now he's almost perfect,"

Kakashi snarled behind the black fabric covering his face, shifting in his uncomfortable chainmail.

"Shaped him? He would be perfect no matter what, how can you say 'almost'?"

Orochimaru raised his brow, "Attached Kakashi? He has that scar across his face, and has a secret even you would not know," Kakashi growled low in his throat; he loved Iruka's scar, and he hardly believed there was something he _didn't_ know.

"It would be a shame for you to become injured in this battle, Iruka would be so broken; and it's not very good when the boy _breaks," _the king continued, trying to anger the knight so he would have a reason to kill the man.

Temari's pencil moved across the paper like lightning and she stopped suddenly when she finished her sentence; breathing hard in anticipation.

"No, it wouldn't, why do you say such a word as though it means something else? Why would you-"

"-Play with him?" Orochimaru offered, "I saw him; a small child on the side of the road, I thought he was only 4 or 5 but it turned out he was so undernourished he was just that small-"

"-Sympathy?"

"No, and not pity; I though this child would do anything for some food, for a home," He let out a sinister laugh and Kakashi became worried, what had the man done to Iruka? Orochimaru's face darkened, his greying-brows knitting a visible expression portraying worry; Kakashi felt even more nervous, what could possibly worry a man like Orochimaru? "But he was… Broken, and I am fixing him,"

Temari wrote furiously on her note pad before walking away, and Kakashi knew Orochimaru would leave his tent since Temari seemed to have good senses for these things.

Sure enough, the man trailed out from his tent and left him to his own devices, and his own screaming thoughts.

-000-

Two week later Kakashi had still not been sent in himself; he was thankful in a way, but he was becoming bored since Orochimaru refused to let him train any other armies.

He sat where he often did and did as he always would when the guards refused to let him leave. He was a grown man; much stronger than the king and yet he was being ruled by him.

Not that the king had spoken to his face; he chose to avoid him at any cost and often sent a man with rounded gold glasses and silver hair to tell Kakashi the plans for that day; as if they ever differed from the previous day.

"We should make our move the next time he speaks to Kakashi, since he seems to reveal much to him," the redheaded king spoke to his siblings, turquoise eyes fixed on a blur of black and blonde through a gap in the tents lining as the blonde king and young Uchiha trained with each other.

"Yes, Gaara, who will take over the battle after it is done?"

"I wish for Naruto to do it."

Kankuro nodded and Temari patted her younger brother on the head bravely, his fiery locks curling around her hands like vines and letting her hand go safely, as though Gaara could control them. She looked upon the large gourd on his back and frowned; they never could get him to let it go. Gaara wore the large gourd full of sand from their home country as a sort of link to home; it weighed more than the red-head did, but worked as a training method and made him build up thick muscles in his chest, arms and legs. Gaara had never been sane, and often wore the gourd in their home country too. She stopped asking him to take it off and looked sadly at her brunette brother to Gaara's right before walking out of the tent; notebook and pencil in hand.

Kankuro made a move to leave, but was stopped, "Kankuro?"

"Yes, Gaara?"

The redhead made a movement with his hand; uncrossing them and flicking his wrists so that his brother came closer. Kankuro stood next to his brother, following the boy's unfaltering line of sight.

"The Uchiha is quite interesting, don't you think?"

"Quite,"

"Do you… think I shall find someone who loves me as much as the Uchiha loves his majesty Naruto?"

Kankuro bravely placed his hand on his younger brother's shoulder; physical contact that the redhead had only just grown used to. He pondered the subject; since it was very difficult to grow close to the young king.

"I believe you will, they have,"

Gaara nodded in acknowledgment, "We move tomorrow,"

* * *

**Next time: **Part two; what is Suna planning?


	8. Chapter 7 Pt 2

**A/N:** today, my teacher wrote "the theme of love," but missed the H, and so she wrote "the teme of love," and, as you can imagine, I internally smiled to myself and had a sudden urge to write a one-shot narusasu/sasunaru,_ so please give me a plot idea and I will make sure the credit goes to you!_

* * *

Temari sat outside the silver-haired knight's tent the next day. Pencil in hand, ready, and patience wearing thin. The sun was uncommon in this part of the world; as though it didn't want to see the sight of war and carnage, and so she shivered lightly since she had only thin cloths from her own realm. Her own home was a lot warmer, sand and sun constantly; she tried to explain to several people in Orochimaru's castle that she was too cold; but they all looked at her strangely and said "But it's summer?" the scarred, brunette prince snickered behind them since Kankuro had told him about Sunagakure, which is probably why Temari felt as though she should help Iruka, and is why she sat outside the tent in very cold weather and very thin clothes.

A sudden rustling of papers on the floor alerted her to movement in the tent and the surrounding Sunagakure guards and her brother's nodded for her too look through the gap in the tent's lining.

As dark green eyes peered through the gap they saw the frail king; brittle hair thin and sickly skin blemished. His body rocked with each step as though it would collapse. She wasn't sure if that would be what she wanted or not, whether it would bring her as much satisfaction as if the plan went well or if he simply dropped stone-cold dead at this moment. The king stood over Kakashi; who snarled uncontrollably at the man's presence as he marked the names of deceased soldiers on a piece of paper for writers to use in letters. Orochimaru placed his red velvet, golden laced slipper on Kakashi's work; the ink from the quill smudging. The blonde girl snarled to herself at the disrespect Orochimaru showed for his own armies.

Finally, something snapped.

"May I help you Orochimaru?"

"I'm afraid you never answered my question; a young blonde girl with four ribbons in her hair told me she had witnessed you and the prince intertwining you finger's in a small clearing near the lake, you did not give me a chance to confront you last time we spoke-"

"- I'm sorry, perhaps if you didn't avoid me like the plague we could have discussed it!"

"I'm afraid you were so volatile I was worried you would react irrationally, now please tell me why you have lay your hands on Iruka in such a way,"

Temari smirked to herself; Gaara and his guards didn't but her other brother did. Kakashi wasn't at all sloppy; she just caught them once in their entire relationship. While they sat by the lake; Iruka chased the man around for 5 minutes and she reframed from laughing since it would give away her current position. She had mentioned it subtly to the king as she had been instructed, leaving out the part were the usually timid prince chased the knight around a murky lake for five minutes.

"Well then doesn't that answer your question?"

"Yes, and I don't like the answer, I am giving you a chance to change it."

"…change it?" Kakashi asked disbelievingly, standing and looking Orochimaru in his yellow eyes; challenging him. "Are you asking me what I think you are?"

"I'm asking you, Kakashi, to leave Iruka be,"

"Leave him be? Do you think that will do him any good?"

Kakashi honestly couldn't believe this was happening. Was the man so naive he believed Kakashi would leave the man he loved just because a king asked him to?

"Yes, he needs to concentrate on-"

"On what? Misery?"

"It is rude to interrupt," the king spoke blandly. Kakashi crossed his arms and waited for the man to continue; resisting the urge to tap his foot on the rolled out floor. His chainmail clinked and weighed down his arms but he didn't move even as they began to ache.

"I've moulded him to be king; he will _not _become a knight's toy, he need to concentrate on not breaking."

"Toy! I love him very much, and he loves me! Toy? How can you have the audacity to say that to me? How could anyone use him as a toy! He barely had the courage to ask me what my books were about or what is behind my mask!"

"Because it is rude to be curious, and a king is not rude,"

Kakashi growled low in his throat; this man was the sole reason Iruka was so shy and it was pissing him off.

"What exactly will 'break'?"

The elder king pursed his lips in thought; the skin around them red and raw. He turned away from the knight to pace the tent. Temari braced her pencil and fought the urge to stretch out her hand from writing so fast; but knew her brother would be watching.

A crowd developed in Shikamaru's tent of the Japanese, Konoha and medic troops; all watching curiously from the Nara's tent since it was closer to Kakashi's, were Temari and several other -armed- people stood.

Shika lay on his bed; annoyed with the sudden interruption and crowd. Ino and sakura had the best view and 10 or 15 people huddled around the entrance that they had folded and rolled carefully so that they could let it got easily. Asuma and Kurenai were not there, but Shika didn't really mind that people were far away from their tent so much.

"Iruka is a rather special child," Orochimaru started, supposing he could risk telling Kakashi if it meant putting the man off of his future king; and if he could simply kill Kakashi if he tried to tell, "he has quite a… temper on him, and unnatural strength," Kakashi frowned, remembering the time Iruka elbowed him and almost broke his ribs and ruptured important intestines.

"He can kill men easily; at first I liked that, but he was such a mischievous character that I had to fix him; sometimes he breaks, but he has learned such a lapse in sanity will result in _punishment,"_

"But he has no intention to kill?"

"I'm aware, he was always like that; _caring,_ however it seems that part of him switches off when he is in great internal suffering, allow me to tell you a story, Kakashi, and things will tie up-"

_A ten year-old Iruka sat behind a moss covered, damp tree; calling out when loud sounds of metal-on-metal and screaming reached his young ears. They rung loud and long after each scream; and he worried he would gain permanent ear damage. (1)_

"_Iruka! Get out of here now!" the usually restrained voice of his mother shouted; he couldn't hear her over the sounds of screams and through his hands that tightly held his ears in hope of saving his eardrums. He opened his eyes when his mother shook his shoulders and caught sight of her bloodied cloths and the crimson trail from her lips to her chin. _

_His father lay dead several feet away._

"_You're leaving! You should not have jumped in out supply cart, you knew where it was going!" she hugged his close as he was dragged through various bushes of nettles; the plant leaving pearly blisters on his tanned skin that would sting for weeks after the carnage of the great wars bloodiest battle. His mother seemed not to care and he looked up at her with awe at her strength and pain-threshold as she dragged him further into what looked like a forest. Men and women ran past him with various weapons in their hands and a few medical kits were thrown between untrained soldiers._

"_Mum where are we going!" he shouted, not realising his volume past his hands that where covering his ears again. He was placed in a bush; the sticks and holly leaves poking him from all directions and scratching his face in many places. He felt some prick at his reddening legs and flinched as rough, surprisingly dry bark scraped his raw skin. _

"_You're going to stay here Ok my Iruka, stay here and I will go and get daddy!" she smiled sadly, knowing that he husband was dead, but feeling a pang when she thought of telling her son._

_Iruka jumped as a cool edge scraped through his skin across his face; right across his nose in a deep wound that would probably scar. His mother made a gagging sound and he turned to her, seeing a glint of silver through her stomach, and her blood merging with his own on the end of the sword. He watched as more gore trickled from his mother's mouth and she gurgled out the mass of liquid; it falling on her already red uniform._

"_Mum!" he called without thinking, and watched in terror as several men immerged from behind his mother's drooping body._

"_Hey, there's a kid here!" one man called, a glint of silver in his hand. They surrounded him and dragged him from the bush onto a soft patch of grass; the strands of green reddened, but soothing his stinging skin. One man grabbed his leg and dragged him further towards him; dark eyes scanning him from behind a white and red, solid looking mask that most of the opposing armed forces wore. A sudden kick to his gut wakened his numbing body and he rolled to his side clutching his stomach; before another kick was delivered to his back; forcing it to arch._

_He felt something unfamiliar in his stomach snap; a bubbling sensation that caused his vision to white out._

_He opened his eyes and unknown amount of time later; looking upon the mass of torn limps and severed heads, then down at his blooded hands; nails thick with the wretched flesh of his enemy. _

_A tall, thin, dark figure watched from behind a tree; yellow eyes glinting._

"_Watch that boy for me Kabuto, I want him,"_

"And so I found him again sometime later; a mess of a boy, he couldn't remember anything, but it was beautiful; he tore them apart with his bare hands, of course he doesn't know this to this day, he just knows it is bad to break,

"I took him in and moulded him to the perfect image of a prince; smart, educated… disciplined. He may not be as beautiful as his breaking self," Kakashi flinched; so this was why Iruka was so shy! This is why the man didn't own a mirror; he obviously thought the sight was disgusting, "He was so easy to change; and I have always enjoyed changing things into my image, he was quite the mischievous one while he was young; but easily _beaten-_" Kakashi cringed "- into shape,

"Off course; when he was around 23 I heard him talking in his sleep of teaching and his cat; how he would _"have such a nice life away"_ so I had the animal killed, scrawny little thing; had a nobleman slash it from head-" the man lifted a frail hand and tapped his long, chipped and yellowing purple nails on his forehead "-to toe in front of him.

"Seemed to bring him down again, he picked up 3 languages in that mourning period. Then there was the garden; he wanted so desperately to dig it up and remake it; so I had him watch as my gardeners did it; he was allowed to pick the flowers, but the ungrateful brat refused to leave his room and walk with the noblewomen for 4 days; he lost 2 women's hands! So I had to have him lashed, luckily no more scarring though," Kakashi was honestly shocked, he didn't even feel raised skin; how could someone be lashed and have no scars? "Kabuto was excellent and managed to keep Iruka's back so _clear_, but now! He's acting up again; thanks to you, you are corrupting him, do you want me to kill something close to him again? Perhaps that cute little blonde he loves so very much, see what we can teach him in that mourning period-"

"-You _sick _bastard! How can you take pleasure form torturing such a timid soul like this? You think I care of his… condition!"

Orochimaru smirked and Kakashi honestly held himself back from lunging at the man; Temari's face held a disgusted look at the man's opening, she wrote furiously and waited for the next speaker. Kakashi shook his head of silver hair to clear the murderous thought in his mind-

"Because, Kakashi, he's so much fun to throw around, such an innocent and untainted soul, well; not anymore, you have taken away his innocence, his flower, and he may be a murderer but what he doesn't know won't hurt him, I need a powerful leader for when I merge with sound, I need him to be able to take anything; but he just won't bulk up, so I'm afraid he's going to need more _training,_ Kakashi, and I suggest you leave him, but don't think I won't spare that blonde's life because you've backed down-"

"-That's just because you want Sasuke!"

"Ah, yes, the young Uchiha; such noble blood, perfect features, I wish my Iruka was like him, but if Sasuke will not come on his own I won't refrain from-"

"-that's enough, Orochimaru," as small yet murderous voice spoke from the entrance; Kakashi spun to see the small redhead, Gaara, and several Sunagakure guards along with Kankuro and Temari, still writing behind her younger brother.

Gaara drew a sword from the sheath on his side; holding the point to the snake's neck and watching it squirm uncomfortably. "I'm arresting you for treason with sound, your peace contract is still valid and is punishable by death _on site,_" and that was the only warning given as the sword was flicked; a mere twitch of the redhead's wrist, and a bloody and pale mass hit the floor with a satisfactory _clunk_ as the man's crown fell from his head.

Kakashi turned his back on the people in his tent and rolled down his mask past his lips; spitting on the kings severed head.

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**(1)** This is why Iruka has sensitive ears, if you didn't guess.

**A/N: drop me a story line for a NaruSasu or SasuNaru and I promise to tell the world of you plot-development gifts! I didn't get any reviews last chapter, even from the regulars and it made me pretty sad... but I got _a lot _of favourites!**

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**Next time:** We check back up on Konoha, have the nobles grown kinder now that Iruka is their only monarch?


	9. Chapter 8

**A/N: **last chapter before the Epilogue! My reviews say that I should write a one-shot about Naruto and Sasuke being run-aways, thank-you to** raeofshock **for that! (NaruSasu, by the way), I'm just letting you all know there is a VERY important note at the end. Thank-you!

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"I could never marry him, let alone have a child,"

"You're too negative, Kakashi, Iruka wouldn't-"

"He would mind, he cares too much about others."

"Hn. Perhaps you could just elope?"

"Yeah, and no-one would guess what had happened and have me, him and our kiddies lynched."

"He could run away and meet you?"

"Wouldn't work, he's not going to desert his country, and they wouldn't even let our child rule since they wouldn't be blood, Sasuke."

"They let him, he not related to that snake-bastard,"

The carriage rocked gently as Kakashi held his hand to hush the young raven, the last sentence racing through his already crowded mind and joining with his other troubles to dance and sing around his anxiety; ringing his ears.

* * *

Iruka held his hand slightly skinny and frail hand; -frowning as he noticed bones that seemed to have become outrageously prominent overnight- up in a sign to stop talking to the man in front of him; a small man, skinny and wearing brown, rag-like and baggy clothing, and earning disapproving looks from the noblemen around him. He visible shook with nerves at addressing the king; Iruka tried to calm him. The man's mop of brown hair looked dishevelled and clumped with dirt; who knew what colour it was naturally.

"I'm sorry, Mr…?"

"Smith, Jonny Smith, your majesty," he made a small nodding gesture and the tanned-man happily returned it; constructing a soft smile that made his face ache.

"Mr Smith, but the timing is just so… bad," he let out a sad smile and felt lightness in his heart as the man smiled back and nodded. Flakes of dirt and skin dropping onto the floor and making several close nobles shudder as a smell radiated from the movement.

"Very well your majesty, I understand, have a fine day!" he called in a happy tune before walking with his head held high; Iruka laughed aloud as the man gave the nobles dirty looks; mocking them as they obviously tried not to return the look and prove the man right. He enjoyed men like this; they reminded him of Kakashi. The man in general reminded him of Guy however; with his bright eyes and spring in his step.

Soon though, he started shifting in his throne; uncomfortable and his lip shuddered as it always did as he denied another request for his country's help; they simply couldn't afford it. He looked around at the noblewomen and noblemen who sat in their usual places and some of the poorer nobles stood behind them; he was in the same place he had been in since he was 14, but now the nobles waved and winked at him and his neck strained to hold the heavy golden crown on it.

-000-

His castle was empty; apart from furniture and the people he forgot the names of. Some of the tapestries became caked in dust where some of the maids thought they could slack off since it was "only little Iruka in charge," And now people who walked through the castle looked upon the stories on them with distaste. The tales of anguish, pain and triumph was nothing to the rich men of his castle when there was dust on it that could flake off and _touch _their dresses and robes. The castle was void of new faces; He didn't know he had to invite foreign nobles over, so the guest rooms remained empty. His training ground remained empty since no request for more troops had come from Naruto.

In fact, nothing had come from Naruto for 2 years.

Iruka was 29 now, nearing 30, and with that approaching milestone the kingdom (well, noblewomen's fathers) were requesting he marry; however, the only people who were persistent enough to follow him without the promise of Orochimaru at their dinner party were Anko and a few perverted old men. He had tried several times to dismiss Anko; but she was very _determined. _He enjoyed the chats they had, but then she would often lay her hand on his shoulder or arm and make a crude joke. He started to think of her and him as friends; and started presuming that it was a part of Anko's personality. The old men were no better with their crude determination, he always viewed Anko as in the same league as them all before one faithful day.

He had seen then laughing to themselves while he took a sip of water from his glass; a maid stood near him who had handed him the glass. He could taste the familiar metal of the cup but the water was thicker than usual; and five minutes later when he was being dragged away by his collar he realised he had been drugged; and the maid had helped.

"_Wh-what are you doing…" he slurred from his position on the floor of one of the lesser populated places in the castle; he was propped up against the wall by a blur of silk and fur and he tried to call out for help, his arms suddenly numb and legs floppy. He felt a rug underneath him; its fabrics slightly lumpy from where they were built up in layers in some places to provide the picture shadows._

_Deep laughter erupted from the two blurs and Iruka briefly noted someone tugging at his trousers; the many layers he usually wore having been discarded today because of the very same maid who handed him the glass. –he briefly remembered her asking him not to wear his robes; but he was in too much of a blurred state of panic._

"_Such a pretty, innocent prince; bet he's still a blushing virgin!"_

_Alarm bells deafened him and he wasn't sure if he was screaming as someone pulled his arms over his head and separated his legs; he flailed about, trying to land a kick somewhere, he felt his joined hands being crushed together and violently flicked his body so that his arms jerked forward with enough force that the person holding them to let go. He was shocked at his own strength for a moment; and then he remembered the last this Orochimaru said before the man left him, practically a dying wish. "I shall not break," he mouthed to himself as a silent mantra, and tried to devise a non-violent plan as a finger brushed against his bare entrance. He felt tears pricking his eyes; salty water stinging the unclear images he could hardly make out anymore._

_He flailed around again and heard laughter as the finger was pushed in far more ruthlessly than Kakashi did it; he growled in frustrations and made a move to jerk forward again before searing pain ran up his spine. He whimpered and tried to think harder; blurred plans distracting him before a vulgar comment escaped one of the men's mouth, his voice coarse and old._

"_Damn! He so tight I can't even get the second finger in!" the man called to the other; shoving the second finger past the tight muscles of the king's entrance. They seemed uncaring that death would be upon them if someone saw them; but everyone seemed to do this to Iruka, he thought, everyone seemed to get away with everything. He could be murdered by his own servants for snoring at night and the nobles would shrug it off and ask for more wine._

_He made one last and desperate attempt to push the men off of him; weakening as burning pain ran through him until he felt the fingers moving quickly, and then he knew he was bleeding. He tried to reverse into the wall -since that was all his body would allow- to remove the hands running around his body and the fingers inside of him that weren't half as warm as the silver-haired knights. He pushed against the wall, and let out a sob as it didn't swallow him up and take him to a better place._

_So he kicked his legs strait forward, connecting with the man who was kneeling between his legs and sending him back into the one behind him whose hands held open the prince's legs. Iruka had kicked him strait in the crotch with as much strength as he could without breaking._

_As soon as his hands were released he swung one forward and felt it connect with a blurred nose; or jaw, he couldn't tell. But he heard a satisfactory click and a painful ripping of his skin as it reconnected with set of teeth; he cried out in pain as he felt his blood trailing down his wrist from his knuckle; warm gore staining his caramel skin. He saw the blurs rolling on the floor in agony at such sharp and precise blows. One sobbed aloud, "where is the strength from?"_

_He faintly registered the sound of two sets of feet running away, and "Bastard king," before he curled into ball, trousers still around his ankles and hand cradled to his chest, a pool of blood forming around him and clotting with the carpet that left burns across his upper thighs._

He had them killed. His shy and timid heart breaking as he hear the maid call for help as she was dragged to a clump of wood in the middle of a stage; peasants and children surrounding it as she was made to kneel and the men stood a few feet behind; watching their fates from a different angle. He wouldn't save her; she could have been left to rot on his bed and he would admire the smell of her decaying flesh; because it was the smell of revenge and justice. He hadn't felt more alone as when a nobleman passed him in the corridor after the incident, his body pooled in bloody clumps and his breath fast as he tried to cool the monster inside of him and they looked at him as though he were a rat that had dragged itself in. he tried to ask for help but his voice came out as a quiet rasp; and the noble pretended not to hear.

And then Anko found him, and he knew then that she was actually an amazing woman.

She tugged him up and draped his hand over her shoulder with inhuman strength, dragging him to his room and dressing his wounds. He told her politely that he wasn't interested, and she nodded.

"It's alright; I just wanted to paint your nails again!"

He nodded, supposing he could let her do that if it meant having someone to help him up.

He heard a cheer and a resounding thump as a severed head hit the floor and the men called for further help from him; crying and screaming since they knew death was upon them. Did they have no dignity? He looked upon some of the people who walked past him, some of the men who had the nerve to remain in his presence even though they would not save him from bleeding to death. They shuddered when his eyes met theirs; since they have never seen such ice-tinted orbs.

-000-

He had never felt more alone; when Orochimaru was in the castle, at least he had someone to instruct him; now he had to make decisions alone, the only slight amount of help he received was from muttering peasants who he walked past when he would visit the farm shops in the city –something he could not do with the king around, but now didn't find time for.

As much as he didn't enjoy the castle or ruling; he was achieving far more than he had intended. He held a fundraising festival in the centre of the city within a week of his coronation and had raised far more than expected; which he used to pay for free schools and homeless shelters; if it were not for the war taking place, it would have been called the golden era. He save hundreds on food; instead of holding a feast a night he grew food on the palace grounds and served small regular meals. It allowed him to hire the chefs that would have lost their jobs, as gardeners; and sometimes he even joined them. It wasn't exactly the way he had planned to garden, but it was closer than before.

He threw out every-single-last-stupid puce bed sheet and replaced them with soft, green cotton; the only thing he had done for himself. he considered re-designing the garden, but some rogue mist activists had set fire to his country's crops and he had to pay to save his country from starvation; which they had only just recovered from, meaning he couldn't afford to help other realms.

But his people were happy as far as he knew; he guessed Orochimaru had taught him well. The noblemen and even servants still looked upon him as though he was scum; but he didn't care anymore. A trait he had taken from Kakashi, and from the night with the two men when he learned that the men around him 24/7 were actually lesser human than himself.

-000-

He had not seen Kakashi in two years; and as much as he tried to fight it, he felt his hope diminishing. Soon, he would have to marry a woman and have children; he supposed Anko wasn't so bad, once he could get past the obvious. Orochimaru would have liked him to marry her; and he could do that much for the man who took him from the streets. He could have a child and name him scarecrow or something equally sappy and cliché, but that would mean looking upon the child and seeing his first ever lover. And he had hoped it would be his only, or at least his last.

He had read Kakashi's books, hoping it would make him smile. It was easy to say he didn't see the appeal in the books, but he read right to the end just so he could get a good opinion of the literature.

Sure enough, the books remain under his bed along with most of the other things Kakashi left. He had a painting made; it was painted in a traditional Japanese manner so that he could respect Kakashi and his mother's heritage, it depicts a dolphin jumping from the see to glance upon a scarecrow in a neighbouring field. The dolphin was painted in bright blues while the scarecrow wore green and brown; no one picked up on the scarecrows similarities to the knight like the large tuft of silver coming from under the straw hat; but Iruka didn't mind so much.

-000-

He stood on his white balcony, the paint peeling and chipping and sticking to his clothes and shoes but it was something he could live with; looking upon the garden that was wilting in the autumn temperature he knew he was going to be like this forever unless Kakashi came back. If it was possible, he was more miserable than he had ever been now that he has seen what life could be like. Soon the bees would leave and summer would finally be over; until next year and he would have to endure the heat again. He took off his crown and held it in front of his face; admiring it. He may not enjoy its weight of his head; but he couldn't deny its beautiful craftsmanship, it was gold; thankfully he didn't have a frightful snake-skin one like Orochimaru, instead he asked for something simple that had already been made.

And so here it was; a simple crown, only around and inch thick and not having any of those strange points like in the ones he would draw as a child. It had one jewel in it; a large ruby, it reminded him of Kakashi's red eye; but that's not why he chose it.

If he had the choice; he wouldn't have had a crown, since it meant arranging his hair in awkward ways.

He considered letting his hair down; but jolted in shock as his thick, brown locks fell around his face, brushing his nose and covering his eyes slightly. He thought for a second his hair tie had simply split in half, as it did sometimes, or he had somehow pulled it down when he took his crown off and hadn't been looking at it in his hands for as long as he had thought-

"You always did look better with your hair down,"

-000-

Kakashi's back hit the wall of the balcony doors; more paint falling around him and in his silver hair. He gasped and shuddered as his stomach took the brunt and his muscles of his legs screamed in protest at being bent over.

"You idiotic knight!" the king shouted, dropping his crown on the floor and running like a mad man towards Kakashi, dropping to his knees and crawling in his haste.

* * *

They crashed together; lips and tongue clashing in a fierce reuniting after two years; Iruka barely heard a voice in the back of his mind that said he was nearly over the man; but as always around Kakashi, he ignored the voice and pushed against the knight with as much force as he could muster in his flustered state, nearly breaking his knees with the force he jabbed them onto the floor to scurry against the knight.

Kakashi dragged him into the room on his knees; through the white doors and threw –thankfully not purple- curtains, barley registering the sheets however as he practically crushed Iruka against the bed.

They were pressed in an awkward position against the bed; Kakashi on his knees between tanned legs and Iruka against the bed, unsure if he was on top of Kakashi or on the floor as clothes were thrown around in every direction; Iruka saw new scars across Kakashi's body as he pushed the man back onto so he could fully assess the damage; as if it would change his opinion.

-000-

Kakashi groaned in frustration as Iruka's wandering hands remained slow in their pace; taking long seconds to trace over new scars and old ones. His long –and Kakashi noticed, slightly skinny- fingers moving across the large gash-line on his torso with minimal pressure as though the king was scared it would hurt him.

He lunged forward with unforgiving speed and held Iruka by his hands; pressing him against the bed before allowing the man's arms to drop around his neck. Iruka nuzzled his neck as Kakashi pressed against him; his shaft rubbing the familiar place between the brunette's legs gently. When he thought he had done enough; thereby, having the king writhing underneath him with the feel of his large need pressing hard enough that it felt like it could press in, he pulled away and began his assault.

He started at Iruka's ankle; using both his hands to hold the leg in the air slightly as he sat up on his knees. He sucked on each curve of Iruka's sole for a moment before trailing his lips to the bone protruding from the prince's ankle more than it used to.

"I missed you," he whispered against the damp skin; enjoying the shiver and goose-bumps that always arose.

"Good, idiot," came his flustered reply.

He placed his mouth entirely around the ankle bone and sucked; alternating between nipping and hollowing his cheeks and feeling them jerking and moans erupting from kiss-swollen lips. He moved down Iruka's beautiful legs; he had missed them so much. He spent an hour or so tasting Iruka's legs, avoiding the sensitive area between them. He didn't register the noises coming from his lover for the entire time; he was so lost. An hour, a full hour; he could taste the beads of sweat and the taste of Iruka's golden skin. He briefly noted several jerks and tenses Iruka's legs made but he honestly didn't care. He lay on his stomach; aching need ignored between his own legs as he pressed close against the cold wood and curved his back to reach around Iruka's leg. He moved up from Iruka's legs to taste his chest, arms and shoulders; finally.

However, as he sat up from his position on his stomach, his eyes widened.

Iruka lay, mouth hanging open and breath fast; chest rising quickly and falling with a strangled sob each time like it hurt to breath. Stomach covered in a white sticky mass, and he hadn't even realised Iruka had climaxed.

He didn't know whether to be turned on or angry at himself; he knew Iruka didn't like things like this, the man hated being overwhelmed; but his mind was silenced by a small whisper from his love.

"Kashi… I want…you inside,"

He crawled up the man's body; his legs scraping slightly against the wooden floor, eager to finish.

-000-

Prepping was slow; much like the foreplay, Kakashi took long moments to watch his fingers being sucked in by Iruka's heat over and over again; using four fingers, because he had never been patient enough for it before. Iruka came a second time and Kakashi knew he should get moving again before the man passed out.

As he pushed in for what felt like the first time he was struck with how tight Iruka still was; how warm he was and how he still hugged every inch of him. He looked upon his lover to see him panting; arms held above his head as he gripped onto the green blankets for dear life.

Kakashi felt something in his heart tug, he scooped Iruka up in his arms as gently as he could; the man whimpering as the position was changed and burning nerves reacted like lightning up his spine. He arched; and Kakashi placed his hand on his lower back to support him as they came chest-to-chest.

"Kashi I missed you," he whispered as his chin rested on Kakashi's shoulder; body pressed against his firmly yet still against every inch of the bed. His arms moved around Kakashi's neck completely and the man's own calloused fingers moved to hold his caramel thighs.

"I know Dolphy; I promise I won't go again,"

He justified his statement by moving; grinding sensually against Iruka; hardly pulling out, it seemed to do as much as if he was to plough into the man full force; if the calls in his ear were anything to go by. He pressed against that spot inside of his lover constantly as he ground into him; they moved like water, slowly and sensually arching in all direction without creating even an inch between them at any point. It was painful; to be almost still other than the grinding, but it's not like the silver-haired knight had to rush. Kakashi kissed the man's neck and realised he had never been such a passionate lover before; and that was his last coherent thought as Iruka tightened around him.

"Ahh..._oh_…"

-000-

Kakashi looked upon his sleeping lover like he had the first morning they spent together; he had hoped to talk after they made love but found he had pushed Iruka too far and the man actually passed out. He supposed he would have to wait for a while; not that he cared.

He glanced around the man's rooms; still the one he lived in when he was a prince. He saw a few things he had and hadn't seen. The sofa was still here; the curtains weren't, nor were the bed sheets. He saw a painting but he couldn't make out what was on it. He squinted his eyes since there was no way he would detach Iruka from his side.

He managed to make out a scarecrow; and that was enough for him to work out the rest of it.

He noticed none of his things were around, but as he lifted his sleeping lover to put him on the bed he felt his leg kick something under the bed and a pile of books spread around the floor. He lay Iruka down slowly and watched in awe as a white fluid ran down his lover's leg, but quickly noticed that, even for him, it was a bit too perverted to stare (or lick it clean, which had flashed through his mind). He couldn't deny a part of him enjoyed the possessive message of his seed sliding from Iruka; but he leaned onto his knees and collected his shirt from near Iruka's bed; using that to clean the still sleeping man.

When the king was thoroughly cleaned and tucked snuggly under the blankets, he crawled to the side of the bed and poked his head under the sheets.

He looked upon the books and, although they were just books that were Iruka, Naruto, Sasuke and many other people's bane to their existence; the small curling of the corners told him Iruka had tried to read his favourites, and the smell of the old pages made he realise that he was, _finally, _where he wanted to be.

He snuggled close to the sleeping, tanned, brunette, shy and strong beauty and enjoyed the wisps of long hair that spread across his face.

-000-

As Iruka clambered out of bed; Kakashi opened his eyes after pretending to be asleep –since even a knight of his standard couldn't resist a peek in the morning, as he always did- and watched with a predatory smirk on his face as the brunette limped around the room, collecting discarded clothes and a new hair tie. As Iruka bent over to pick up the knights shirt, he felt eyes on him, and a crusty feel to the shirt that hadn't been there the night before.

He abruptly stood and turned only to be met with mismatched eyes as Kakashi lay, stomach down on the sheets and hands holding up his head; legs swinging as if he was totally innocent.

"What are you doing?"

"Admiring the view; I've missed your limp, _your majesty,"_

"Shut up." Iruka threw Kakashi's shirt on the man's show of silver hair and laughed as a very naked Kakashi ran out of bed and threw the shirt back onto the floor.

"But it's so cute Dolphy!" Kakashi spoke in a squeaky voice, running over to Iruka and landing with a thump on his pale knees, clutching at Iruka's thighs and placing his face against a very bare behind.

"Kakashi!"

Kakashi placed a loud kiss on one of the golden globes of Iruka's bottom; exaggerating the noise his lips made against the soft skin.

"I love your cute little bum!"

-000-

As Kakashi walked, mask on and simple dark green clothes (thankfully) on too- similar to what he wore when he first met the king- except his hair was a lot messier, Iruka limped not-so-subtly next to him and grumbled about nonsense under his breath when the knight tried to hold his waist and shots of pain rushed up his spine.

They approached the library where they had been instructed to meet, before Iruka abruptly stopped walking. "What are we doing here?" he asked as Kakashi reached for a curved, golden doorknob.

"We're meeting everyone here,"

Iruka made a face and Kakashi briefly noted the small wrinkles appearing on the corners of the king's eyes. He didn't point them out, of course, since he wanted to live to see tomorrow.

"…But I'm… not allowed… in the library,"

"What? But it's your castle?"

Iruka bowed his head slightly and Kakashi wandered what the man had been doing in the two years he had been continuously called out to fight; surely being in charge of the entire kingdom of Konohagakure would increase the man's confidence? He wondered why Iruka would still follow a dead man's orders; and pondered further if the brunette actually held any kind of respect for the man.

He took charge of the situation; "Well, you are now," he let a grin show in his eyes as he yanked Iruka into the room; a voice in his head told him Iruka probably wasn't ready to go against the closest thing to a father he has had since he was a child; but he ignored it and intertwined his fingers in tanned ones.

"Ka-"

"IRUKA!" a blonde blur tackled Iruka to the floor, the king called out in pain as his painful behind hit the wood floor and briefly noted several sets of eyes on him.

"I MISSED YOU IRUKA!" Naruto shouted; loud voice slightly muffled as he cradled his face into Iruka's chest. "I NEED SOME FREAKING RAMEN!"

-000-

Iruka sat at the round table in the library; he found the chairs comfortable here since they were hardly used, but the squeak of the leather slightly unnerving. The library was very _very _large, it had black and white checked floors and light green walls; large windows that overlooked a part of the garden even Iruka had never been to that was further into the trees of the clearing he and Kakashi used to sit in. He saw from the window how the small river in the clearing actually extended far out around the side of the castle; a new discovery he made sure to note down mentally.

Ino, Shikamaru and Chouji sat solemnly in that order around the table; Kurenai not there; nor Asuma. Sasuke sat on their right, Naruto in his permanent place between him and Iruka. Iruka noticed something different about Naruto though.

He had two bandages on his cheeks; symmetrical on each side of his face. Too neat to be a battle wound, Iruka noticed.  
Itachi wasn't there either; Guy and Lee sat near Kakashi, who was next to Iruka. Tsume, Kiba, Hinata, Hana, and their dogs all sat on one of the near sofas that Neji and Sakura had moved over to the table; since they wouldn't have fit. Tenten sat next to Neji on the table, opposite Kakashi and Iruka. Sakura sat as close to Ino as she could; resulting in her being next to Chouji.

The sand siblings had gone back to their own country as soon as Orochimaru had been killed; since their initial mission had been completed. They went back for a while to help, and Gaara sent in his own troops; but couldn't attend this meeting of sorts.

"Naruto?" the timid king spoke, the entire table turned to him and it unnerved him, he considered telling Naruto it was nothing, since it was wrong for him to be curious.

"What happened to your cheeks?" he made a strange face at himself; when did he become impulsive? The blonde looked down slightly; large grin faltering as he thought his sentence thorough. He shrugged, looking back to the king.

"Some bastard broke into our tent. I guess he thought it was funny-"

"Don't call them a bastard." A monotone voice called. The young Uchiha turned to his lover and with eyes only Naruto could tell were sad; he communicated what he himself couldn't. _I'm your bastard, don't use such a term on someone you hate._

The blonde nodded before leaving a soft, lingering kiss on Sasuke's cheek. Iruka blushed; since he didn't remember them being so tender with each other. Naruto lifted his hands from the table and peeled the gauze tape slowly; the sound echoing around the room. One bandage came off easily, the tape worn and curling at the edges.

Iruka made a strange face; he had never known war to be so… strange. He thought you were just sent to kill, not to be tortured. What kind of person would take joy in scarring a boy's face like that?

The other bandage was removed, and the king observed the marks of Naruto's cheeks.

They were like whiskers; 3 lines on each side. One on each side was almost symmetrical to the boy's eyes and the other two diagonal from his nose to his ears. Naruto quickly recovered and joined his and Sasuke's hands on the table, them high in the air; proclaiming; "It's Ok! Sasuke-teme beat their sorry-ass until they were begging for death!"

He leaned over and left another kiss on Sasuke; this one a sloppy kiss on his lover's cheek, and then dropped their hands and making the Uchiha growl. Iruka didn't really know how to react; wasn't that a bad thing that the man was begging for death? Why would his sweet little Naru praise someone who did that? Iruka quickly looked for something to change the subject to, frantically searching the room for a moment. He didn't think it through very much, and came straight out with the first thing to his mind.

"Where is everyone?"

The room remained in silence, and an awkward one at that. The group around the table nervously placed their hands in their laps; fiddling with various trims in the Konoha knight uniform.

"Something happened, Iruka," Sasuke spoke in a small voice.

_Itachi sat on his white horse calmly as 200 men ran towards him; swords held high above their heads and voices in a fierce battle cry. The clouds were murky and unforgiving, provided no light for him to feel even slightly hopeful. They reached a 3 metre radius of him and he held his hand calming in the air, arm still despite the various calls at him. He flicked his hand, and the men stopped in their tracks._

_Men sprouted from all angles at the Mist forces; the opposing still had a ratio of 2:1, but Itachi was confident in his army. In 30 seconds, his forces were tearing through the Mist army, he heard shrill cries for backup from the opposing armed forces cries for salvation and ignored them easily, closing his eyes. Limbs and swords were thrown in all directions, but soon the mist's calls were heard._

_More roars erupted from surrounding trees on Itachi's right; around 500 men ran from the foliage and held larger swords than the previous force Itachi had dealt with. It was disgusting, really, that mist would sacrifice their own men for such a pointless diversion; a slaughter of women's husbands, children's fathers and grandfathers and many workers._

"_A trap," he said to himself, observing aloud. He watched several of his men be cut down before turning to his left, hearing a cry of his name._

"_Itachi, need some help?" Asuma asked from his own chestnut horse, pointing a finger dramatically at him. He flicked his own wrist in a more melodramatic gesture than Itachi had and the raven watched as near 50 men ran from the trees behind Asuma. They stood beside each other as the fight became more violent; occasionally slashing a mist down when they came too close._

_And then he saw it, a blur of men in the distance; and a glint of silver._

_He looked up into the sky and thousands upon thousands of arrows darting towards him; some blocked by the sunlight._

"_ARCHERS!" he called as warning, although it was too late._

_A sudden agonizing pain in his chest shocked him even though he expected as much, searing like fire spreading through his torso and stomach; he felt warmth spreading down his stomach followed by a dull thumping of pain. Another in his arm; he lost grip on the reigns of his steed and clung on with his other, then his thighs; both pieced several times and causing the sticky cruor from the punctures to make him slip._

_As he fell off his horse, he observed the wound in his chest. A single silver arrow protruded from him; blood trailing down his stomach in thick waves and sticking to the inside of his amour. Tens of arrows hung from his legs to prevent him from running and the arrow in his arm stopped him from crawling away._

_He turned to see Asuma; call to warn him or see if it was the same, he wasn't sure. He saw a shower of arrows around them; hundred in the grass and already dead bodies for his own army and the diversion mist soldiers. He lifted his head as best he could to see bodies of the grassy floor; the mist had even killed their own men in their haste to kill his own._

_He saw Asuma; 3 arrows in his broad chest, 4 in each leg and too many to count in his arms. He had obviously tried to shield himself, and cigarette limp in his cold mouth. A sign that the man was dead; since he would never allow and unfinished smoke to go to waste._

_He felt fuzzing in the corners of his vision and briefly registered the sound of his baby brother's voice before he closed his eyes; the burning pain dimming softly but surely until he felt a pleasant numbness._

"_Itachi!" Sasuke called, falling to his knees in an uncharacteristic display of emotions, clawing at the ground as he practically dragged his numbing body towards his brother, "Wake up! Wake up!" he shook his brother's shoulder lightly, waiting for any kind of response._

_Naruto stood behind him; holding his and Sasuke's horse before dropping their reigns; and running to his Asuma's side._

_But the body was already chilling._

-000-

"Kurenai… doesn't want to come out of her room just yet," Neji said. Iruka nodded understandably; casting a sorrowful look at Sasuke. The raven nodded, and then the subject was (abruptly) changed by the blonde medic on the table.

"Sooooo, did you miss us?" Ino called more than asked.

Iruka smiled softly, glancing in a very unsubtle way towards the silver haired knight; spying the book he had missed watching the man read. He internally frowned, he how had the man taken the book from under his bed without him noticing?

"Very much so."

* * *

**Next time:** We conclude, and it looks like Kakashi won't be able to give Ruru everything he wanted...

* * *

**A/N: **_After I post the Epilogue, in a week or so, I'm going to start writing on FictionPress (Which is FF's sister-site, it's where you post origional fiction) my username is the same on that as this; and I urge you to check it out, since I'm (obviously) going to be writing origional yaoi stories once my exams finish. I've already got a poem up, you don't have to read it._

_So, my wonders, I hope you Fave, Follow and comment and then I shall see you for the Epilogue, and one more NaruSasu one-shot (in a few weeks, **raeofshock**, a few weeks!) and then I'm going to start on FP!  
_

_I won't be gone forever, because who can resist FF?  
_


	10. Epilogue

**A/N: **today, I saw someone quoting my work on tumblr... I smiled! It was lovely to see someone enjoying my work, thank-you to that person!

* * *

A portrait of a pale, young teenage boy; porcelain skin and pearly cheeks hung above the black silk sheets of the tall mahogany four-post bed; the boy's black hair in a low pony tail that barley passed his shoulders and a small, silver crown on his head decorated with only carvings and jagged points. His lips were red; redder than roses and thin in an impassive and emotionless expression; eyes dark as night.

The background was a crimson silk sheet; to accentuate the boy's lips and make the black serpents curling around his elegantly stretched out hands that where held in an artistic way more prominent; one looking as though it was welcoming someone as the snake wrapped around it and the other held by his side, fingers flicked outwards.

His waist was held in by a silver silk corset and a snow-leopard pelt dangled from his shoulders; the spots and white strings of soft fur bright and obvious against the red; yet fitting against the pale skin and black hair.

Kakashi would not have recognised the boy if it were not for the small cat that sat next the boy's hand near his side; down in the bottom right corner.

"Is that mischief?"

Iruka looked up from the small silk chairs surrounding a magnificent fireplace; snakes carved into the marble. He was still shaking, and 2 years after Kakashi's return he had barely built up the courage to enter his old king's room; although it had taken him almost half decade, he didn't mind.

"Yes, tabby cat,"

Kakashi smiled; although the portrait put him off. This was Orochimaru's ideal Iruka; the boy he was trying to mould Iruka into, but it was nothing like the man standing opposite him; not even a shadow of the beautiful creature that blushed as Kakashi stared at his portrait. He could see why Orochimaru liked the young Uchiha, looking at the portrait. They held a similarity such as impassive eyes and dark features; sharp jaw lines and so on.

Maybe Orochimaru wasn't as bad as he thought, he pondered, as he looked upon the cat in the corner, if he had involved the animal he hated so much; but made Iruka so happy. Its –very fitting- mischievous eyes assessed him as Iruka's secret (excluding the obvious) fiancé of one and a half years. He nodded to the animal as if it would see, and turned to his king.

"You look more beautiful in real life, Dolphy,"

The man went through several shades of red as he often did, before throwing the nearest object at Kakashi. The knight caught the pillow easily, and considered throwing it back before he noticed the small trembling of the king's tender lips.

"What's wrong?" he called, running like an idiot over the bed and almost flying to his fiancé's side, gripping a tanned face and kissing across the scar there.

"Nothing, it's just weird in here,"

Kakashi frowned; he would never understand, he knew that, but he could at least respect that Iruka held some kind of love for Orochimaru, despite everything.

-000-

The wedding was small, since they couldn't possibly celebrate what was seen as a crime against god to many. A lot of Iruka's subjects in the easier parts of town; the ones who didn't wear the paint and dresses, who enjoyed life for the pure fact it was there were overjoyed at such a marriage announcement when Iruka had managed to speak of it. Since many liked the young blonde king, they had no right to criticize people for their preferences if they would happily accept his.

But there were the powerful people, people who Anko couldn't scare away, as she had to with many others when she noticed the sadness surrounding the brunette king. People who owned large farmland and shops and had enough money to not care if the timid king sent them away; and enough obnoxious opinions and self-absorbed thoughts to dismiss the idea the king would ever do it anyway. They held a large protest of sorts, where they refused to open their shops and threatened to fire all of their peasants which would ultimately result in the diminishing of food supplies.

Iruka had no choice but to call off their first wedding; but the silver-haired knight wasn't going down without a fight and organised a wedding -by himself, something tricky when it was held in the castles temple and for Kakashi in general- for himself and the king.

_Iruka walked through the castle; the white silk blindfold irritating and pleasant at the same time against his gentle eyelashes. Anko held his wrist in a vice grip as she led him through the castle, he memorised every turn of his castle, and so it would have been easy to tell where he was going. Until Anko spun his around to make him dizzy, of course._

"_Here we are!" she announced, smiling like an idiot; not that Iruka could see. He heard an old door creaking; its hinges twining and screaming in protest as it was opened. He was walked down a long way; he heard his slippers brushing on the floor and cursed why he had chosen not to get dressed, in-case this was some kind of royal audience._

_The silver-haired knight laughed as he saw Iruka tumbling down the aisle with Anko literally dragging him. He wore pyjamas, the ones that didn't show his legs (since Kakashi wasn't going to let the people in the room see those) and wore a long, pale blue, cotton dressing-gown over those pyjamas that was falling loose. His hair was down, and flowing in slight morning clumps around his shoulders; un-brushed since the king hadn't prepared for anything on the day._

_Although Kakashi wore one of his best kimonos (a black one Sakura had given him for one of his birthdays with a dark blue sash and leaves in a delicate design in a similar blue) he wasn't even slightly upset that he was marrying the king of Konohagakure in his pyjamas. It made him feel like, although they weren't exactly lacking in the unorthodox department, they weren't any normal couple that would make promises to each other and then give up on them._

_As the silk was removed from Iruka's eyes, he frowned when excited mismatched ones met his own. He broke the contact to look around and saw Anko, a strange man who he remembered being some kind of shop owner in town Kakashi brought books from, and a vicar looking upon him with a mixture of disappointment and sorrow._

_The reception was short, simple I do's and no kissing (since the vicar practically dragged the two apart when Kakashi made a move to kiss the king, to "sign papers") and Kakashi felt something pang inside of him that he couldn't even provide the man he loved with a simple wedding. He knew the king would find the romantic element of a secret wedding in sleep-wear, but he knew that people in love never saw each other's faults. Iruka hadn't had a lover, how would he know weddings weren't supposed to be this way?_

_But it was the best they could do, and by god Kakashi would marry him even if the wedding was performed by Lee, or worse; Guy._

-000-

"Daddy! Papa!" a small, female voice called and the two adults groaned as their mattress moved; the bed shaking with the force of the four year olds jumping. The four year old daughter of Kakashi and Iruka Hatake. Chika Hatake; meaning "A thousand summers; a thousand songs" which Iruka found fit perfectly, despite his distaste for the season. She jumped like a dog that had caught sight of their supper. Iruka and Kakashi were already in the baby stage a year into their marriage; and they visited an orphanage far out in the country in secret; unless Sasuke and Naruto knowing by letter was considered telling everyone (which Naruto inevitably did in Konoha's sister village, if congratulation letters from 30+ people were any indication), and saw a one-year old bundle of wild brown hair in the corner of the play room; sat happily with a few scattered stuffed animals and wooden trains. They asked her name, and Iruka's mind was set.

Not only was the name Japanese, but it meant something to the pair that no one else would feel with the child.

Iruka knew Kakashi was slightly upset they didn't bring home a boy; and the entire court was angry, but Iruka didn't care. He walked around the city the next day (Kakashi, Anko and several guards following) with his new bundle hanging from his hip. Several women came to coo at his daughter, and Kakashi insisted to the guards that women wouldn't harm the king; until a very _loud _woman tried to ruffle his daughter's hair.

That didn't sit well with him, that brown tuft was for his hands to ruffle.

Naturally, he didn't release Chika for a few hours, even for Iruka. Although he insisted he wasn't getting attached, he refused to let anyone he hadn't thoroughly checked within a three feet radius of his child. He didn't want her balance of pale and tanned skin to be tainted; her shining green eyes to be hurt or witness something cruel. She was his baby, and would not be corrupted. Not that anyone needed to know that.

Iruka briefly wandered how Kakashi would react to their daughter marrying someone herself; but knew better than to put ideas into Kakashi's head.

Most people were actually happy to see an heir to the throne from Iruka, since as much hadn't been expected, even before Kakashi. However the obvious lack of pride the noble-people showed for their king continued ten-fold and then their daughter was brought in. When she was at the running stage she developed a habit of breaking free from Iruka and running full-speed through the gardens. Many women enjoyed the sight since a child had never been in the castle so young or so trouble free.

_A shrill laugh echoed from the running lump of brown hair and wobbly legs; she had a tactic, new and improved, that she won't fall if she doesn't stop running._ _Chika continued to laugh way into the afternoon before her stomach caught up with her; rumbling loud and unashamed._

_She walked slowly through the castle; since her tactic didn't work well when she walked fast and she often tumbled to the ground in a heap. As she lost he balance, her left foot slipping slightly as her heel touched down, she found herself hitting a solid mound of leg and brown dress. She glanced up, little chubby fingers hooked on the slightly harsh fabric of the maids dress with wide emerald eyes._

"_Stupid child!" the maid called, lashing out at her without thought and sending her forward onto her bottom; she let out a whimper as pure pain shot through her and affected her ability to breath in the right rhythm._

"_I'll never understand this kingdom and their monarchs! They are never of blood!" the woman began to rant; the basket of linen in her hands bouncing against her large chest and stomach. "You're all street scum!"_

_Chika started to cry since she had never known such cruelty; it was often her fathers scooped her away from these brown-dressed people and the ones with the white wigs and furry coats. As tears escaped her round and pure eyes they curled around her slightly chubby cheeks and she let out several sniffs before erupting, like a time bomb, into fully fledged anarchy._

"_P-P-PAPA!" she screamed in a raw, sob-laced voice. Within seconds Iruka was running around the corner; sheets of his paper work flying around the corridor and hitting several people who emerged from the neighbouring rooms to inspect the source of the noise._

"_Kakashi!" Iruka shouted for help as he reached the crying mass of chunky-limbs on the floor, conjuring his best scowl in order to scold the maid as he rocked Chika back and forth._

"_I know you have your problems with me!" he shouted as he stood up, his daughter whimpered from the screams In her ear so he cradled her head in his shoulder and left a hard kiss on the crown of her head. "But leave my children out of it-"_

"_It's ok, Ruru, I will talk to this woman," a deep, sinister voice called from behind a black mask, silver hair draping around mismatched, narrowed and hate filled eyes as Kakashi walked at an excruciatingly slow pace towards the maid; intent to harm practically tangible in the air._

-000-

"I want a boy."

"what?"

"A boy, I want one."

Iruka frowned at his husband's openness, such a bland and serious statement that meant so much. He shuffled underneath Kakashi; the man's head on his tanned chest in the spring sun. Chika was 5 now, growing up and moving on. She was starting to adopt habits from Kakashi, something which particular displeased Iruka. It was a few months ago, Kakashi had just turned 41 the week before and September was well underway.

"_Chika, what are you doing love?" the child turned abruptly and briefly wandered what he daddy was talking about. Meanwhile, Kakashi looked with a huge grin on his face as his daughter walked; shoulders slumped in the same bored manner as he was with her nose in a fairy tale book. _

"_I should let her read my books."_

_Iruka patted him lightly on the back as he whispered his threats if the man was ever to do that._

"We should get a baby, so we can name him."

"And what did you want to name him? Not that I'm going to let you have him,"

"Eiji."

Kakashi nodded, sure of himself and proceeded to knock the air from the king as his head hit back down on a pale chest. Iruka thought he was actually warming to the idea of having a second; since Chika did look slightly lonely…

"Does that mean anything?"

"It means 'Two Protectors' or something along those lines…"

Iruka nodded and made a mental note to pencil something down. As a maybe, of course; since the idea was totally not going to follow through.

-000-

Iruka held his hand on Chika's back; trying to straighten he spine whilst he walked with her up and down the nursery. Kakashi watched from his space on the floor with the newly arrived 11 month year-old Eiji. He smirked behind his mask as Chika continuously tried to slump. Why Iruka wanted he to walk strati was beyond him; but he supposed it did look stupid considering Chika was supposed to be this kind of graceful princess.

He picked up Eiji, the boy in a dark blue baby grow with little buttons on his baby bottom which Kakashi often resisted squeezing (who knew, he guessed it was a father thing), and put him as best he could on his feet. He heard that it was possible for one year-olds to walk when they hold the hand of an adult, and since his children were far better than anyone else's, he held Eiji's hand and proceeded to stumble along with him across the nursery floor.

Iruka met them halfway with his hand still on his daughters back, and saw Kakashi trying to join in somehow by trailing there son (who was actually walking quite well) across the floor.

The silver knight held his head high in a proud gesture, shaking his head slightly when Iruka looked at him. "I got this parenting thing down."

"Daddy! Eiji's fallen over!"

"Naruto, may you let go of Eiji now?"

"Nu uh."

"Dobe, let him go."

"What's dobe daddy?"

"Nothing, Naruto don't-"

"Aw look at his little face! Sasuke can I have one!"

The Uchiha made a thoughtful face and the blonde king just squeezed the toddler in his arms harder. They sat in the garden since summer was rolling back around, and Naruto and Sasuke and the others had come to visit, since they hadn't seen the new babies yet. Naruto practically dived for the young, black haired and blue-eyed boy Kakashi and Iruka had welcomed home and held him close to his chest until the baby called for air.

"Please…" Naruto called to his lover, giving bright azure puppy eyes and holding the equally-bright blue eyes of Eiji to his own, double power as he called it.

"…Maybe. Now put the baby down."

"Why don't you hold him Sasuke?" the silver-haired knight pondered aloud, taking Eiji from a saddened Naruto and dangling him in front of the Uchiha's face. The raven took him hesitantly, but took him none the less.

After Iruka saved Sasuke from dropping the fidgeting toddler, Sasuke had him comfortably in his lap, not sure what to do with his hands as the boy started to nuzzle the inside of his knee and began to snore.

"Look teme, you even bore babies!"

"What is teme papa?"

"Nothing."

"Oh!" Naruto shouted suddenly, making the snoozing toddler jump and let out a whine. In a moment of pure instinct the young Uchiha reached a hand and patted gently on a mass of dark hair until the baby hushed in his whimpering. Iruka smiled; Naruto was defiantly getting a baby after this. "You must be Chika!"

Chika nodded her long brown hair; not wearing it how Iruka did anymore since it was silkier than the kings and so wouldn't hold the same bands. Iruka watched happily as Naruto lifted his daughter and placed her on his lap, jiggling her every now and again as he asked her if she had ever tried ramen.

"Good thing we've got some then! And Iruka and his pervert said they feed you!"

"Daddy, whats pervert?"

-000-

They sat around the table; over a decade after they all originally met. Many faces were not there now; Itachi, Asuma, Orochimaru and Jiraiya were all lost, Hana was unable to come since her business as a vet was becoming a large demand, finally. They sat around a small circular table, since the new king hadn't liked the excluding lay out of the long tables.

Kiba sat near Hinata, as if he would sit near anyone else. Iruka and Kakashi noticed the slight rise of her stomach but didn't comment; their first child despite over 12 years together. Naruto once told Sasuke something about a "litter" but the Uchiha halted further baby-conversation. Sakura and Ino managed to sneak a chair near Sasuke, somehow, and were constantly talking creating a nice ambience to the room. Since Iruka didn't have many people in the room it made it harder to get over the silence but the girls were providing easy conversation.

Gaara and his siblings were there; Temari near Shikamaru again, hitting him occasionally before linking their hands openly on the table. Kankuro frowned before making one or another crude comment to the Nara, who brushed it off with a grunt. Gaara had managed to convince the green duo to sit near him and tell him of their views (after they stopped crying with the 'youth' of Chika and Eiji, of course) once again, and Iruka liked the idea that Orochimaru had brought all of these people together, much like he had with him and Kakashi.

Soon Kurenai and Tsume strolled in, slightly aged with the decade passed but easily beautiful. Kurenai wasted no time in introducing her own child, a girl, who was Asuma's last edition to the world. She was nearly 9, conceived at the very end of the war just before Asuma's death. Iruka could defiantly see parts of both the parents in their child, and Naruto seemed to as well as he cooed to his heart's content.

Kurenai soon had to put her daughter to bed, since the time change was new to her.

By 5p.m. Neji, Tenten and Tsunade had arrived after dragging in the bags and sake ready for a "party" as Tsume and Tsunade had commented.

Neji caught Chika's eye immediately as he gracefully made his way to the table; taking the seat next to her and near Lee. She blushed like her dad for several minutes until Kakashi noticed and felt a welling of almost maternal instinct inside of him to punch Neji's face in until his daughter would only gag at the sight of him; but Iruka's firm gaze on him kept him rooted to the chair.

"Hello, princess Hatake." Neji spoke in a cool voice after Naruto tossed him a glance and then shifted his head at the blushing 5 year-old next to him. He held his hand out for her to take and she went through further shades of red until she finally took his hand. Neji turned it over and lay a soft kiss on the back of it; a bare touch of lips.

Chika felt faint at being treated like such a woman at only five; her young-girl heart fluttering dangerously. Kakashi coughed, more of a grunt that a cough, at the pale eyed boy who quickly straitened himself, not before winking at the young princess.

Iruka laughed at his husband. As if anything would amount from such a thing; Neji was over 13 years older than Chika!

* * *

"This is horrible."

"Oh Kashi! She's a young woman now, she's going to go through this,"

"No! Not my baby!"

"Yes Kashi _our _baby."

"No! I want her to stay the same, same innocence same _shape-_"

"oh Kakashi! She's a girl, they change _'shape' _as you put it."

"Don't say that! Now she has breasts! Breasts Iruka!"

Iruka rolled his eyes. His daughter was 13 and they were nearing 50; so Kakashi's old man was thoroughly setting in. He sat on their bed; book discarded off to the side of the green sheets as he growled to himself and pondered why, of all of the things in the world his darling little girl could have gone through, it had to be puberty. "Think of all the scum who will look at her now! Men are scum Iruka, scum! We all want one thing! I know these things!"

A puff of air escaped the brunette's lips and he stomped over to the bed; intent to harm rolling off him for a moment before he decided torture in subtlety was far more fun. He crawled over the beds end-board to his husband with the sleek moments of a feline, even allowing a soft purr to escape his lips as he straddled a very perplexed knight.

"Kashi?" he asked, pulling his best puppy eyes and jutting his lip out a little hoping to draw eyes to it. Kakashi caught the movement and unconsciously licked his own lips.

"Yes Ruru?"

"Promise me something?" Iruka punctuated his sentence by moving his hips a little; trying to pull it off as him being uncomfortable and shifting. He felt the tell-tale hardness beneath him that told him he was winning.

"…Yes…"

"Promise you won't say-" he thought for a second and added to his thoughts "-or do, for that matter, anything inappropriate concerning our daughter?" the rolled down the mans –still black- mask slowly and sensually, making sure to brush his hand over a sharply pointed nose and slightly chapped lips, that were wet with the moisture collected when Kakashi licked his lips earlier.

He saw Kakashi's mouth opening to answer and dived in for a scorching kiss; his suddenly brave tongue darting forward into the knights gasping mouth. Kakashi wasn't going to have that and rolled them over so he could take full control of the kiss. His tongue pushed Iruka's back into the king's mouth to continue his assault on familiar ground and allowed the soft lapping of Iruka's tongue against his lips to continue as he traced very inch of the open mouth.

"…daddy?" Eiji called from the doorway, not even shaken by his parents kissing in such a heated matter in front of him and Iruka's loud moans. For a second, Kakashi thought Iruka had said 'daddy' and wandered if he had some kind of secret kink, but then he realised his tongue and mouth were rather occupied.

And then he was on his ass on the floor while Iruka wiped the moisture from his lips.

"Sorry sweetie, what is it?" they 9 year old looked at his parents for a moment, taking the flustered appearance of his daddy in and the unmasked state of his papa, but shrugged it off since he was nearly used to it now.

"Chika threw a lamp at me when I said she should cut her hair."

The pair of adults sighed but went to comfort their hormonal daughter non-the-less, and maybe convince her that a haircut wouldn't be so bad since he long, thigh length hair was growing wilder by every passing day.

* * *

"Eiji, when two people love each other they usually get married, and then have sex; but since I trust you I'm going to tell you that its Ok to do it before if you stay with the girl forever because, let's face it, you're an idiot and she would probably get pregnant. So actually forget what I just said and wait till you married- where was I? oh yes- sex, so sex is pretty emotional no matter what any of your friends say and don't tell you dad this, but I've had sex with both men and women so I can tell you what either is like if you want, but I'm just going to start with the basics. So you have the woman, and she has all those lumps and stuff that we men don't and- actually, why don't we read my book?"

Iruka rubbed his scar in a sign of worry, sat inside of his study trying to read letters from Naruto about his and Sasuke's children he had finally pulled from the Uchiha. He probably shouldn't have left 'the talk' with Eiji to Kakashi… but he had to do it with Chika so it made sense. He pondered on how Kakashi would tell, and then had a strikingly worrying feeling that the man would draw diagrams of their own experiences.

Or would make Eiji read his books.

Within seconds he was dashing down the corridor to save his innocent little Eiji's 11 year old ears from the disgusting and corrupt writing of Jiraiya, since he was _far_ too late to save Kakashi. He had on several occasions had to snatch the book from his children as they grew and even from Kakashi; since he couldn't be trusted to not let them 'peek'.

"You should ask uncle Sasuke about his experiences with girls, it's always funny- anyway sex between men can be weird since the penis goes-"

"Kakashi!" Iruka ran to his husband, delivering a sharp smack to the back of his head and then covering his precious son's ears as if it would save him now. He growled at Kakashi who saw stars for a second, and watched the door swing on its hinges in his son's room.

A sudden eruption of laughter behind his son's chest of toys attracted the families attention as a 16 year-old Chika emerged, clutching her sides and face red with laughter.

"Th-that was hilarious papa!"

-000-

Sometimes, it amazed him how Kakashi could still have this much stamina at his age. How it could still make him call out like this as he felt the hot hardness moving and burning inside of him slowly. He pondered on how the man could still rise in seconds and last for hours, but he knew better than to ask because more often than not Kakashi offered numbing demonstrations.

He called out a thousand versions of Kakashi's name as pure euphoric bliss rolled through him and onto Kakashi's chest, staining it with his climax. As if it soaked through pale skin, Kakashi followed; allowing himself a small grunt against Iruka's hair before he fell –quite literally- onto his husband.

They panted like dogs for a long while since they were not as young as they once were. It had been over 2 decades and they were finally here; together, after all this time.

How they survived was really beyond them.

Kakashi continued, slightly drowsy, through his normal routine. He reached around the bed for a shirt; finding one and rolling onto of Iruka to clean him. He loved this part; it was so intimate, cleaning, and it made Iruka blush.

He started around Iruka's legs as he always did and thoroughly removed the traces of their love making from his golden limbs. He considered leaning down and lapping it up; but he didn't quite have the energy nowadays.

"Daddy?"

Iruka jumped and flew from the bed in his naked state, on the floor on the opposite side of the bed so that his son couldn't see him caked in semen. Kakashi was far too relaxed about being caught in the afterglow, naked and covered in drying white. He looked around for his mask but couldn't find it; and chose then to cover up with the sheet only so he could hide his face.

"Hold on Eiji, Iruka's down here."

"Daddy, I know I'm too old, but can I come in your bed?"

"Yes Eiji, but let me uh… clean?"

After a good half an hour of sitting outside of his parents room, after Chika joined him it was easier, the door finally opened and the two Hatake children clambered into their parents –now brown- sheets. He looked at his fathers' face and felt a pang inside of him that it was masked again; but he had seen it before anyway.

The children managed to take up three quarters of the bed; Chika stretching across Iruka's pillow with him behind her, cuddling her even though she was sixteen now. She hooked her long and delicate fingers under Iruka's pillow and snuggled her face into it; allowing her father's aging hands to hold her close. Kakashi pushed his son further into the bed so he could have some of the pillow and reached his hand over him; choosing to hold Iruka's hand over his daughter. The two adults pulled the sheets over themselves and their children and hooked fingers once again over them; like they had done when they were only five and one years old.

"Naruto and Sasuke are thinking of moving here." Iruka mentioned as the bed fell into silence. Kakashi squeezed his hand in a sign that he already knew while Eiji and Chika made excited gasps; thier eyes flying open.

"Is everyone coming to celebrate?"

"Probably Chi, maybe even the Hyuga's will come."

She blushed again and hid her face under the brown covers since her crush had yet to fade on Neji, not that Kakashi hadn't tried to force it away on several unsubtle occasions.

"Pa?" Eiji called, his bright blue eyes radiating light in the candle light.

"Mm?"

"Tell me how you and daddy met again."

"Yeah!" Chika called growing excited at the prospect of Kakashi telling the story again. Kakashi lifted himself to blowout the candle; a quick puff allowed a trail of smoke to travel and swirl in the air as he set himself back down onto the bed.

"Well, it was summer and Iruka was still a prince-"

"He was a summer knight," Iruka said; a faint blush appearing on his cheeks. He looked over Kakashi; his hair growing white with age and muscles still as lean as every from all of the training he still inflicted upon himself. His eyes were still mismatched and bored, but they were his eyes and would never be as boring as the emotion they showed. Iruka suddenly laughed at his own joke, a summer knight; like night, he thought.

"Shh Dolphy, I'm trying to tell the story of our love!"

"Tell it with grandfather in it!" Chika asked, or demanded, and Kakashi made a face but continued anyway, just because he himself couldn't ever allow his children to view Orochimaru as a grandfather didn't mean he should stop Iruka doing it. Since love involves sacrifices, he would allow the man to live on as memory despite his _methods._

"Well, Orochimaru needed some troops- Ow!" he suddenly jolted upright, a small lump under the sheets moving around like wildfire and making the children scream and giggle. The lump moved towards Iruka and slowed in its movements, stalking between the kings and princesses bodies slowly, like a serpent stalking. A small, cotton head poked from the sheets and yellow eyes shone in the dark, as though they were totally innocent. Iruka patted the tabby fur gently, a soft purr filling the room since Iruka was always the felines master.

"Mischief!"

* * *

**Important: I've changed the title from "A silver knight" to "A summer knight" since it fits better.**

**A/N:** it's done! I may consider doing a sequel of the children's life if enough reviews tell me too, and I want to thank everyone! This story was so much fun to write! I hope you've enjoyed it as much as I have! I'm actually going to move on to writing something on fiction press as soon as I finish ASK, and naturally, it's going to be MxM... Because it's awesome!

Feel free to check that out, my username is the same on FP as well as FF and I've already got work up. You can send me a recommendation if you want to see me write something on here (nothing too long winded) or on FP. Thank-you everyone, I've never received so many reviews.

Much respect and appreciation,

-Ascarda.

**Started: 22/4/2012**

**Finished: 03/06/2012**


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